There is never a worse time to lose your first conference game than in a single elimination tournament that if you lose, your season is over and there is no chance at an NCAA tournament at-large bid.  BUt New Hampshire did just that on wednesday, and the team they lost to: UMBC.

The last time the two teams met the Wildcats outplayed the Retrievers in every aspect of the game, but this time UMBC got their revenge and won when it mattered.

Just like against Binghamton, it was freshman midfielder Mark Lubetkin who opened the scoring with the games first goal.  This time he got in in the ninth minute off a pass from Levi Houapeu, which he shot into the lower right corner from 30 yards out.  The goal was just Lubetkin’s second but he could not have timed either one any better as both were in one goal wins.

Then in the 41st miute another freshman, Milo Kapor, scored a second goal for the Retrievers, which turned out to be the game winner.  On the play he knocked a ball into the upper corner of the net with his left foot off a corner kick from Andrew Bulls.  The goal was just his second of the season.

With a 2-0 lead at the half, it was clearly a different UMBC team than the one that took the field against New Hampshire earlier in the season.  But the Wildcats would not stay silent all game.  In the 56th minute first-team all-conference striker Chris Banks ripped in a free kick by Alex Russell to get on the board, but they could not build on it to make a comback.

The Retrievers won the game 2-1 and will play in their first America East Conference Finals against second-seeded Stony Brook on Sunday at 5:00 pm.

The win also marked head coach Pete Caringi’s 200th while at UMBC, and the teams first ever win in Durham, NH.