UMBC

Albany, N.Y.—Senior attackman Drew Westervelt scored five goals and freshman linemate Cayle Ratcliffe added four as second-seeded UMBC (10-4) edged third-seeded Binghamton (4-9), 11-7, to advance to the championship game of the America East Tournament.

The Retrievers won for the sixth straight time and have posted their second consecutive 10-plus win season. They will take on the winner of the Albany-Stony Brook semi-final on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

UMBC led for much of the game, but could not shake the scrappy Bearcats. Binghamton scored first, but the Westervelt tied the game and Ratcliffe scored two more first quarter scores as UMBC led, 3-2 after 15 minutes. Binghamton would tie the score in the first minute of the second quarter, but Ratcliffe put UMBC ahead to stay on an unassisted goal at the 11:08 mark and Westervelt scored on a fast break two minutes later to give UMBC a 5-3 halftime lead.

The Retrievers increased the lead to 7-3, but the Bearcats started to dominate the face-off circle and scored three unanswered goals to climb to within 7-6 on a Matt McNamara goal with 11:18 remaining in the fourth quarter. But Westervelt scored on a sharp angle shot from the left wing at the 9:11 mark and classmate Andy Gallagher added an insurance marker at the 6:51 mark.

Binghamton’s Jake Boyce brought Binghamton to within 9-7 at the 5:44 mark, but long-stick midfielder Mike Carmardo picked up a ground ball on the ensuing face-off and fed Ratcliffe for a crucial score just nine seconds later. Gallagher scored into an empty net with 2:03 remaining and the Retriever defense held firm as the Retrievers earned their second straight trip to a conference final.

Westervelt now has 15 points in his last two America East Tournament games and has 195 in his career.  Ratcliffe has set a new UMBC Division I freshman record with 35 goals on the season.  

Sophomore netminder Jeremy Blevins was outstanding in the nets, with 13 saves as the Retrievers were outshot, 35-24.  The Retrievers lost 15 of 22 draws and did not attempt an extra-man situation in the contest.