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.

This season Bulls, UMBC’s first America East Striker of the Year, scored a national leading 15 goals, and 40 points while being third in the nation with 10 assists. He has been the highest scoring player in the nation since week one, when he was named the national player of the week by College Soccer News and NSCAA following a five goal – four assists week.

His 15 goals this year is the sixth-most in UMBC history, and the most since Derek McElligott in 2003.

While it is rare enough for a team to have one player with a double-double in a soccer season, UMBC had two as Houapeu was second in the nation with 29 points off 14 goals and 11 assists. This season he recorded two hat tricks and his 11 assists is tied for fourth most in school history.

The last America East midfielder of the year from UMBC was Matt Watson, who won the award in 2004 and 2005. This year also marks the first time since 2005 that UMBC had two first team all-conference players when Watson was joined on the team by defender Marcus Gross.

They were not the only two who received post-season honors. UMBC also had two freshman on the all-rookie team.

English import Liam Paddock has started all 16 games he has played this year, with the only missed game being due to a yellow card violation. He started each game at center back for the Retrievers and was a big reason for wins over Boston U and Albany when fellow center back and more experienced Chris Williams was out due to an injury.

Meanwhile, Saunders has started all 17 games in goal for the Retrievers and became the first freshman goalie to start the season opener since Soren Byskov did it in 1997. He has recorded 60 saves, a .750 save percentage, and six shutouts, including a four game stretch in mid-September, in which he was named back-to-back rookie of the year.

Junior’s Dustin Dzwonkowski and Levi Houapeu each recorded a goal and assist against Boston University to lead the men’s soccer team to a big road win.

The stakes of the game were higher than anybody could have guessed a few weeks ago when the teams were both nationally ranked. But the loser of the game would be in a very tight position to get into the America East Conference Tournament.

But UMBC did not want to be put in that position and fought their way out of it.

After the Terriers got a 1-0 lead when Aaron O’Neal recorded his tenth goal of the season, Levi Houapeu tied the game up with his 11th goal of the year off a free kick from Andrew Bulls and Dustin Dzwonkowski just 30 seconds later.

Then less than five minutes later Dzwonkowski recorded his first goal of the season, which happened to be the game winner.

UMBC is not 2-2 in the conference and a win or tie in any of their three remaining games to clinch a spot in the America East Conference Tournament.

On Saturday the team plays their final home game of the season against Albany at 1:00.

*UMBC’s logo and player pictures courtesy UMBC Athletic Communications. Boston University’s logo and player pictures courtesy Boston University Athletic Communications.

In the second half UMBC had five very good opportunities to but the game out of hand for the Lancers but they could not seem to finish and missed three shots, were called offsides for another, and one was saved.

With the game tied 2-2 at the end of regulation the game went into a sudden victory overtime period.  Longwood scored a goal in the fourth minute of overtime to take the victory and spoil UMBC’s home coming.

Further coverage of this game will be featured in the October 20 issue of The Retriever Weekly.

Just 12 minutes into the game Andrew Bulls gave UMBc the early lead with shot to the lower right corner of the goal.  His goal marked his 14th of the season and eighth game winner.  One the play he kicked the ball forward to Levi Houapeu, ran past him and got the ball back with nobody around him for the open shot.  He has scored a point in 11 straight games, which ties a UMBC division I record set by Giuliano Celenza in 2000.

Andrew Bulls netted a game winning goal in the 13th minute off a give and go to Levi Houapeu.

Just a few minutes after that tragedy hit for UMBC.  Freshman center back Liam Paddock went down with a foot injury which kept him out for the rest of the game, forcing Caringi to make a few moves.  Right back Vince Savarese moved inside to Paddock’s spot while Jason McCarron, who did not start the game because of a foot injury suffered against Loyola, stepped into Savarese’s spot at right back.  Usual mid fielder Sean Rothe started the game at McCarron’s usual left back spot while Chris Williams once again manned the center of the defense.

But the defense stepped it up big, and in particular Savarese.  Even with his height only being 5’8″ he played a great game at center back and was a big reason freshman goalkeeper Phil Saunders only needed to save four shots.

With UMBC ahead by the lone goal at halftime, they Retrievers looked to be poised to avenge their loss from less than a week prior.  In the 52nd minute Houapeu added an insurance goal after he blasted a shot into the upper right corner from 23-yards out to put UMBC up 2-0, which lasted for the final minutes.

UMBC’ returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 1:00 when they take on New hampshire, who beat #15 Boston U 2-1 just minutes following the end of the UMBC game.

Further coverage of this game will be available in the Oct. 13 issue of The Retriever Weekly.

Houapeu earned his first Player of the Week award after recording the first UMBC hat trick in three years. The three goal performance came in the 3-0 victory over Drexel last saturday. His weekly performance was also good enough to earn him a spot on the national team of the week by College Soccer News.

His teammate Saunders also had a stellar week that resulted in two shutouts and nine saves. Saunders recorded five saves against  Towson in the 1-0 victory and then four against Drexel. His shutout total of three is good four second in the conference, as is his goals against average of 0.44.

Volleyball also had a fine week as the team went 3-1. Freshman Naomi Bush his .500 against Howard with 15 kills. She then recorded 10 kills, seven digs, and three service aces against VCU. In her final game of the week she recorded her first double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs against Maryland.

Finally, Kira Giles earned the setter of the week award after averaging 10.07 assists per set last week.  Against VCU she recorded a double-double with 43 assists and 10 digs and before that she aveeraged 13.67 assists per set against Howard.

The game was the first of the season that UMBC trailed in, as Mount St. Mary’s forawrd Chris Wheeler deflected a free kick in for a score midway through the first half.  But with 32 seconds left Andrew Bulls knoted the game with his eight goal of the season, matching his goal output from last season.  Sophomore defender Jason McCarron made a long pass towards the goal, which freshman Matt Knight headed into the post.  But the ball bounced in front of the goal and Bulls slide it into the goal while the goalie was out of position.  The game winning goal came from Houapeu who converted a pentalty in the 75th minute.

Four Retrievers were selected to the all-Adidas Kick Off Classic Tournament team.  Chris Williams and Vince Savarese represented the team on defense while Houapeu (one goal and three assists) was selected as a foraward along with Bulls (three goals).  Bulls was also named the tournament MVP.

In just ten minutes UMBC got on the scoreboard with a Bulls goal off a perfect Levi Houapeu pass right in front of the goal.  For the next 70+ minutes St. Francis’ defense was not letting much by but UMBC scored two goals 29 seconds apart in the 84th minute.  First, Bulls on the ground towards the ball after Levi Houapeu’s attempted goal was deflected, leaving the goalie in no position to stop the followup by Bulls.  The final goa was the best of the game, and possible for the season, for UMBC.  Houapeu once again got control of the ball and drew the goalie towards him, but he showed great awareness and unselfishness with a pass to a wide open Milo Kapor, who blasted the ball to the top of the goal from 30 yards out.

UMBC is now 4-0 and will be taking on local rival Mount St. Mary’s on Saturday September 12, 2009.

Further coverage of this game will be featured in the September 8, 2009 issue of The Retriever Weekly.

The defense really improved their shakey play of the last two games.  Not only did they get the shutout but they only allowed on shot on goal, which came in the 88th minute when Rob Stephenson kicked a desperation shot that had no chance of going in the game.  He kicked it from 35 yards out and it slowly rolled into Phil Saunders hands, which accounted for his one save of the game.

Further coverage of this game will be featured in the September 8, 2009 issue of The Retriever Weekly.