Coraopolis, Pa. – The UMBC women's soccer team allowed a late goal and fell to the host Robert Morris Colonials by a score of 1-0 on Thursday afternoon at AHN Montour Sports Complex. The Retrievers fell to 5-2-2 while the Colonials improved to 3-3-1.
After a tactical first half in which both defenses stood tall, the game opened up in the second half as both sides pushed for the breakthrough.
The Retrievers had their first real chance in the 54th minute. Sophomore forward
Nia Hudson darted into the left side of the box on a two-on-one, but Colonials goalkeeper Emma Cameron came up with a clutch save. Just three minutes later, sophomore defender
Hailey Ahmed's powerful header narrowly missed, sailing just over the crossbar on a corner kick.
UMBC junior goalkeeper
Amara Codd, the reigning America East Conference Goalie of the Week, delivered a spectacular diving save in the 60th minute, denying Ivy Chaskeslon and igniting the UMBC bench as she preserved the scoreless deadlock.
UMBC nearly snatched the lead in the 67
th minute when junior forward
Kristiana Kolega sent a perfectly-placed cross into the heart of the box. Sophomore defender
Olivia Nardone pounced on the chance, unleashing a point-blank shot, but Cameron was up to the challenge, pulling off another crucial save to keep the Colonials level.
With just under 23 minutes left, Codd (four saves) produced a highlight-reel moment, racing off her line to shut down Madison Sievering's breakaway with a fearless sliding kick save, momentarily keeping UMBC's hopes alive.
Robert Morris finally broke through in the 75
th minute. Off a corner kick, Sievering played a clever short ball to Ava Tretheway, who entered the box and unleashed a rocket toward the near post. Codd made a spectacular initial save, but the rebound spilled loose, setting up Julia Becerra to pounce and put home the decisive goal from close range.
UMBC refused to go quietly, and with just over 12 minutes remaining, freshman forward
Brooke Clagett pulled off a slick move to create space for a shot on the right side of the box. Her booming effort curled agonizingly wide of the far post, narrowly missing the equalizer.
Although UMBC was outshot by a slim 9-7 margin, the Retrievers kept the pressure high, earning six corners to the Colonials' five.
UMBC will travel to Longwood on Sunday afternoon.
