UMBC

Allyson Carter scored the Retrievers' lone goal of the game against Vermont.

Baltimore-Vermont (5-5, 1-0 AEC) scored four goals in the first half, including two by Maegan Luce, en route to a 5-1 victory over the UMBC field hockey team (1-9, 0-1 AEC) in both team’s America East Conference opener Saturday afternoon at UMBC Stadium.

The Catamounts jumped on the board early and often in the first period. Kelly McClintock got the scoring started just 2:28 into the game. Luce was credited with the assist on the first goal, then scored two of her own at the 8:19 and 15:29 marks for a 3-0 Vermont lead.

About 10 minutes later, Maddi Martin scored an unassisted goal, and the Catamounts took a 4-0 advantage into halftime.

Nearly 10 minutes into the second period, Nikki Desch scored on a deflection after a penalty corner to put Vermont up by five goals at 5-0.

But the Retrievers refused to go down quietly, earning 10 penalty corners in the half. At the 48:47 mark, sophomore forward Allyson Carter rebounded a shot from one of those corners and sent it to the back of the cage to put UMBC on the board at 5-1.

UMBC senior goalie Kat Tag allowed four goals and made seven saves in the first half, while junior Ashley Benitez played the second period and allowed one goal while stopping three shots. Vermont keeper Erin Hickey recorded five saves and allowed one goal in 70 minutes of play.

The Catamounts out-shot the Retrievers, 18-10, including 12-3 in the first half, but UMBC held a 13-7 advantage on penalty corners.

The Retrievers return to action Saturday, Oct. 7, when they head to Boston to take on defending America East champion Boston University at 1 p.m.