BALTIMORE – The UMBC women's soccer team improved to 2-0 by scoring a goal in each half and defeating the American Eagles 2-1 on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Retriever Soccer Park.
The Retrievers scored first in the 21
st minute on a corner kick. Senior co-captain
Regan Rubin sent a high, arching ball into the center of the box, where sophomore midfielder
Olivia Nardone headed it past American goalie Riley Molbury (six saves) from close range. It was Nardone's second career goal and Rubin's first career assist.
American nearly tied the game with 18 seconds left in the half, but reserve forward Nariah Goldman's powerful shot from inside the box hit the crossbar.
UMBC scored just 28 seconds into the second half by taking advantage of a defensive mistake. Graduate forward
Cece Price gained possession after the Eagles lost control near midfield. Price carried the ball into the box and had her shot blocked, but she regained it and slid the ball across to freshman forward
Brooke Clagett in front of the goal. Clagett evaded a sliding defender and pushed the ball into the lower right corner for her second career tally.
The Eagles threatened to score by hitting the crossbar twice within a minute after the Retrievers' second goal. Junior goalkeeper
Amara Codd (five saves) managed to get her fingertips on the second shot and deflected it off the post.
American (0-2) benefited from a controversial call with 22:27 left, when Codd was penalized for a foul on a free kick into the box. Forward Bella Miller converted the penalty kick, scoring in the lower right corner to make it 2-1.
The Retrievers' defense held strong for the rest of the game and prevented any quality scoring chances.
UMBC outshot the Eagles 18-14 and had seven corner kicks to the Eagles' four.
Price, sophomore midfielder
Zoe Brossman, and senior forward
Payton Schenning each attempted a team-high three shots.
The Retrievers will host Fairmont State on Thursday at 4:00 p.m.
