BALTIMORE – UMBC women’s soccer sophomores Alexa Quaranta (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) and Amira Walcott (Beltsville, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) helped the Retrievers to a two-goal second half and its first home victory since Aug. 20, 2010, with Friday night’s 2-1 win versus Robert Morris at Retriever Soccer Park. Walcott finished the night with a goal and an assist, as the Dawgs handed the Colonials their first loss of the 2013 campaign.   

The Retrievers improve to 2-2-1 on the season and take a 5-1 advantage in the all-time series, while Robert Morris falls to 3-1-1.

UMBC held a 5-2 shot advantage in the opening half, but it was Robert Morris who registered three of the first four shots of the second period. With the game still scoreless, it was Walcott who set up the Retrievers scoring opportunity with a long ball to junior forward Lilly Rydon (Stirling, South Australia/Concordia College). A tap off of Rydon’s head, set Quaranta up to split the two defenders and a slotted shot inside the left post resulted in her fist goal of the season and the 1-0 UMBC advantage in the 58th minute.

Walcott struck again in the 80th minute, blasting home her first collegiate goal, to give the Retrievers the two goal edge. The score came following a corner kick from junior back Melissa Hummel (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) and a punch out from Colonials’ goalkeeper Chelsea de Jager, that bounced straight to a wide open Walcott.

Nearly three minutes later, Robert Morris would cut its deficit to one, at 2-1, as the squad’s point leader sophomore forward Madison Kozlowski carried the ball down the right side of the field and centered a pass for freshman forward Antonia Grese to tap in on the far side.

UMBC would hold off the Colonials over the final 7:18, keeping RMU from taking a single shot during the span, to hang on for the victory.

The Retrievers outshot the Colonials 11-6 in the contest and held RMU without a corner kick in the contest, as opposed to UMBC’s three corners.

De Jager (2-1-1) is credited with the loss after relieving Becky Schoenecker at the half. Each finished with one save on the night. UMBC senior goalkeeper Lauren Kadet (Oakville, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas) moved to 2-2-1 on the season, despite not having to make a save on the night.

Game Notes
-The Retrievers and Colonials met for the first time since 2002
-UMBC is 5-1-0 all-time against Robert Morris
-The Dawgs are 3-1 versus Robert Morris on the Retrievers’ home field
-UMBC’s last home win was a 4-1 victory against Delaware State on Aug. 20, 2010
-Tonight’s win marks the second victory of the season, surpassing the Retrievers 2012 (1-11-5) and 2011 (0-14-3) win total