UMBC is off to their best start since moving up to the Division I level with a 7-0-0 record.  UMBC’s previous best came in 1999 when the team started off 6-0-1 and went on to finish the season 19-1-2 with an NCAA tournament bid.

Junior forward Levi Houapeu recorded all three goals in the game, which was the first retriever hat trick since Kevin Mezzadra did so in a 3-1 victory over Howard on Sept. 20, 2006.

Houapeu’s first goal of the game came in the ninth minute when his origional shot was blocked and rebounded by Sean Rothe, who immediately got the ball back to Houapeu for the score.

In the 25th minute he intercepted a pass and shot it into the right corner from 14 yards out to give UMBC a 2-0 lead, which held until half time.

His final goal came from off a cross by Andrew Bulls in the 77th minute.  The Dragon goalkeeper got a piece of the ball but it was hit hard enough to not be redirected by the goalie’s hands.

The defense recorded their second straight shutout and allowed just four shots on goal, all of which were saved by freshman goalkeeper Phil Saunders.

Further coverage of this event will be featured in the Sept. 22, 2009 issue of The Retriever Weekly.