BALTIMORE – UMBC women’s soccer’s redshirt junior Jessy Brown (Plantation, Fla./American Heritage) tallied her league-leading fourth game-winning goal of the season in a 2-1 victory against Vermont in America East action on a rainy Thursday night at UMBC Stadium. The victory was the third straight for the Retrievers and their sixth at home in 2013.

The Retrievers have won six of their last eight contests to improve to 8-4-2 overall and 3-1-0 in America East action, while Vermont (4-7-2, 1-2-1 AE) fell for the second time in conference play.

UMBC wasted no time taking control of the contest, as the America East Player of the Week Alexa Quaranta (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) sent a shot that grazed the post and went wide of the net 1:20 into the match. The Retrievers continued to put pressure on UVM goalkeeper Morgan Nichols, tallying 10 shots and placing six on net in the opening half.

Junior midfielder Paige Preston (Freehold, N.J./Freehold) headed in the first goal of her career to break a scoreless tie in the 50th minute, coming off a pass played in from the far left by sophomore back Amira Walcott (Beltsville, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt). The assist marked the eighth point of the season for the second-year back and her fifth in the last four games.

Just 5:30 later, UMBC junior back Melissa Hummel (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) gathered a failed clear attempt by Vermont and sent a long ball inside the box for Brown. Brown settled the bouncing pass and punched home her fourth goal of the year for her team-leading ninth point of 2013.

Vermont was able to get one back in the 81st minute, as freshman forward Caitie Green found herself unaccounted for on the weak side of the field. The reigning America East Rookie of the Week Nikki McFarland played the ball over to Green, who was able to finish into the upper right of the net from 10 yards out.  

UMBC outshot Vermont, 15-5, in the contest, including a 10-2 shot on goal differential. Nichols finished with seven stops, six coming in the first half, while UMBC senior goalkeeper Lauren Kadet (Oakville, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas) stopped one shot on the evening.

The Retrievers take Sunday off and return to action in a week, traveling to Stony Brook on Thursday, Oct. 17. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.

Game Notes
-UMBC trails the all-time series, 4-5-2, but is unbeaten versus the Catamounts in its last four tries.
-The Retrievers matched their longest win streak of the season with three straight.
-UMBC’s three conference wins are the most since 2005 (3-4-1).
-The Retrievers 18 goals matches their highest goal total since 2006.
-Jessy Brown’s four game-winners is the most since Jessica Young had six in 2005.
-The contest was originally scheduled to take place at Retriever Soccer Park, but due to inclement weather was moved to UMBC Stadium.