UMBC

Baltimore, Md.—Freshman Cayle Ratcliffe scored his sixth goal of the game with 14 seconds to play in the second overtime as UMBC nipped visiting Pennsylvania, 11-10 before 1,160 fans at UMBC Stadium.

The Retrievers won their second overtime game of the year, as they opened with a 12-11 single overtime win over another Ivy League opponent, Brown University. The win avenged last season’s 12-11 overtime loss to Penn in Philadelphia. Both teams are now 3-2 on the season.

UMBC appeared be in command as Ratcliffe fed senior Andy Gallagher for a score after a broken Penn clear with 54 seconds left. But the Quakers, who dominated the face-off circle the second half, got a pair of scores in the final 30 seconds to tie the game. Casey O’Rourke fed a cutting Garvey Heiderman for Penn’s ninth goal with 30 seconds left. After Penn face-off specialist Ricky Choi controlled the ensuing face-off, Craig Andrzejewski hit attackman Alex Salihi on a similar play and the senior scored with nine seconds left to send the game to overtime.

The Quakers won both draws to open the four-minute overtime sessions, but did not get any high quality chances. After UMBC netminder Jeremy Blevins made a routine save on a shot by Heiderman, UMBC cleared and got the ball behind the net to Ratcliffe. The muscular native of Victoria, Brit. Columbia worked his way out front to the right of the goal, and bounced a left-handed shot past Penn freshman goalkeeper Chris Casey.

The six goals by Ratcliffe ties a UMBC Division I freshman record. Jason Smith scored six goals and added an assist vs. Marist in the opener of the 1991 season. Ratcliffe has 12 goals in his last four outings.  

The visiting Quakers led for much of the first half, as they built leads of 2-0 and 5-2. But Retriever sophomore midfielder Alex Hopmann scored with 1:22 remaining in the second quarter and Ratcliffe brought the home team to within 5-4 at intermission and he scored on an inside feed from Drew Westervelt just before the halftime horn.

UMBC outscored Penn, 4-1, in the third quarter to take an 8-6 lead after 45 minutes. Ratcliffe keyed the surge by scoring a pair of man-up goals. He gave UMBC its biggest lead at 9-6 with 10:01 remaining on an unassisted score before the Quakers rallied.

Hopmann broke a three-game scoring drought and scored twice for UMBC, while Westervelt posted a goal and two assists. Andrzejewski led Penn with three goals and an assit, while Heiderman and Salihi had two goals and one assist each. Both Blevins and Casey went the distance and made 12 saves, as Penn outshot UMBC, 36-35. Choi took all 25 draws in the game for Penn and won 17.