UMBC

Kristi Troster scored her second goal of the season against Appalachian State.

Baltimore, Md.-Appalachian State scored less than five minutes into the game and never looked back, as the UMBC field hockey team (1-7) fell to the Mountaineers (2-8), 3-1, Sunday afternoon at UMBC Stadium.

Just 4:25 into the game, ASU’s Ashley Green converted a pass from Jessica Harris to give the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead. The score would remain the same for the rest of the first half and well into the second period before Lisa Witkowski turned another Harris dish into ASU’s second goal of the game at the 59:15 mark. About five minutes later, at 64:13, Erin Smith gave the Mountaineers a 3-0 lead.

UMBC was awarded a penalty corner as time expired, and the Retrievers were able to capitalize, as junior attack Kristi Troster (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) redirected a tip from freshman defender Courtney McNamara (Southampton, N.Y./Lenape) to put UMBC on the board. Senior attack Katie Cutchall (Hustontown, Pa./Forbes Road) was also credited with an assist, which gives her 26 career points, tying her with Althea Stewart for sixth place on the Retrievers’ all-time scoring list.

The assist, her second on the season also gives Cutchall a team-leading six points. The goal was Troster’s second of the year and gave her 22 career points, moving her into seventh place on UMBC’s all-time scoring charts.

Retriever sophomore goalie Ashley Benitez (Sykesville, Md./Century) tallied three saves and allowed all three Appalachian State goals in 70:00 of play. Mountaineer goalkeeper Kate Ryno recorded seven saves without allowing a goal in 64:13. Mikayla Paulson took over at the end of the second half, playing the final 5:47 between the pipes for ASU, and registered one save while allowing one Retriever goal.

The teams were even with 11 shots apiece, but UMBC held a 12-3 advantage in penalty corners.

UMBC opens America East Conference play Saturday, Oct. 1, at Vermont. Game time is 1 p.m.