BALTIMORE - Sophomore
Tess Curtis scored a career-high four goals and added an assist to help lead the UMBC women's lacrosse team to a 12-7 victory over the Binghamton Bearcats in the America East opener at UMBC Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
In addition to Curtis' heroics, the Retrievers received two goals apiece from
Libby Staples (2 assists),
Reese Macintosh (three assists), and
Olivia Worden (seven draw controls). Senior captain
Lizzie Bateman provided a pair of assists.
Sophomore
Emine Luznar was terrific in goal, making nine saves while adding two groundballs along with a caused turnover. Senior
Emily Renehan paced the defense with a pair of caused turnovers while freshman midfielder
Madelyn Renehan and sophomore attacker
Emily Knapp (assist) each picked up a team-high three groundballs.
Binghamton (3-6, 0-1 AE) jumped out to a 2-0 advantage at the 10:52 mark of the opening quarter on goals by Emma Blloshmi and Carla Curth. However, the hosts scored five of the next six goals to grab a 5-3 lead with 2:37 left in the first half. Sophomore attacker
Sam Hewitt (assist from Curtis) and Staples (Woman Up, assist Macintosh) scored a pair of late first-quarter goals to even things up, and then Macintosh gave UMBC their first lead off a feed from Bateman just twenty-nine ticks into the second frame. Christina Lauro brought Binghamton even at 3-3; however, Worden (from Bateman) and Macintosh (from Staples) scored back-to-back goals to supply the hosts with a 5-3 lead. Jess Robinson scored less than a minute before halftime to bring the visitors within 5-4.
Binghamton scored 1:09 into the second half, but UMBC took total control of the contest with a dominant third quarter, doubling up the Bearcats, 10-5. Curtis, who ignited the run with a Woman-Up goal at the 12:02 mark, scored three times during a 5-0 run. Sophomore attacker
Annika Wray and Worden also found the back of the net during the stretch.
The Bearcats cut the deficit to 10-7 with a pair of late fourth-quarter tallies, but Curtis and Staples put the game out of reach in the closing minutes.
Shots were even at 27 while UMBC held a 13-8 edge in draw controls Binghamton went just 2-for-11 on free position shots.
UMBC, winners of two straight, improved to 6-2 and will travel to Vermont on Friday morning.
