BALTIMORE – The UMBC women's soccer team electrified their home crowd by opening the 2026 campaign with a thrilling 3-1 victory over the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers, as three different Retrievers found the back of the net at Retriever Soccer Park Thursday evening.
The Retrievers wasted no time, striking just 9:32 into the match after a costly error by Mount goalkeeper Abigail Makela. Makela's misplaced goal kick landed at the feet of UMBC sophomore midfielder
Zoe Brossman, who seized the golden opportunity. All alone on the 20-yard line, Brossman surged forward and unleashed a rocket that slipped through Makela's hands and into the far corner.
Just seven minutes later, freshman forward
Brooke Clagett notched her first career goal at the 16:27 mark. After launching her own shot, Clagett pounced on the rebound in the box, slotting it home. The play was set up beautifully by sophomore defender
Cami Mink, whose gorgeous through ball down the left side carved open the defense.
The visitors cut the deficit in half on a penalty kick in the 26
th minute. Freshman Lyndsay Heath was taken down at the top of the left corner of the box, and sophomore Fineen Cregan beat UMBC junior keeper
Amara Codd with a winner into the lower left corner.
With just two minutes left in the opening half, Codd delivered a terrific play, soaring into the air to get her fingertips on a high, arching shot by Anika Berger. The ball ricocheted off the crossbar and trickled over the net for a corner, preserving UMBC's lead in spectacular fashion.
Codd, who racked up six saves on the evening, came up clutch again nine minutes into the second half, leaping to punch away a dangerous attempt by Peyton Gallagher that seemed destined for the corner of the net.
The Retrievers put the game out of reach in the 69th minute, capitalizing on a perfectly executed corner kick. Senior co-captain
Reagan Casper lofted a precise ball into the heart of the box, where sophomore defender
Hailey Ahmed notched her first career goal, redirecting it into the lower left corner. Senior forward
Payton Foster and Casper picked up assists on the play.
UMBC held a 17-14 edge in shots and attempted six corner kicks compared to just two by the visitors.
The Retrievers will host American on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. on one-dollar hot dog night.
