UMBC

The eighth-ranked UMBC men’s lacrosse team (5-2) opens its sixth season of America East play when they travel to face Stony Brook (4-3) on Saturday, March 28 at La Valle Stadium. Opening face off is set for approximately 2:30 p.m.

The game broadcast will be available on Fox 1370 AM Sports (www.fox1370.com)

The game will follow a contest between Duke and Dartmouth at noon as Stony Brook hosts their 2009 Lacrosse for Autism event. Stony Brook Athletics will team with Lacrosse Unlimited, Inc. and the Cody Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities for the event that will donate a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales to the Cody Center.

UMBC, the defending America East Conference champions, enter the contest with a two-game winning streak with hard-fought wins over Maryland (9-7, March 21) and Ohio State (9-8, ot, March 28). Stony Brook just had a four-game winning streak snapped at Denver, as the Seawolves fell to the Pioneers, 17-12.

UMBC 9, Ohio State 8, ot: Senior midfielder Alex Hopmann’s fourth goal of the game, 1:16 into overtime, gave the seventh-ranked Retrievers a 9-8 victory over Ohio State in another chapter in a classic series…Games between the Retrievers and Buckeyes have gone to overtime in four of the last five years, and UMBC has prevailed three times (2004, 2008, 2009). Senior midfielder Matt Curtin inserted into the game in the fourth quarter, won the draw to start overtime. Junior middie Kyle Wimer worked inside off the right wing and drew a defensive slide. He then fed the trailing midfielder, Hopmann, whose 11-yard shot found the net.

Junior attackman Matt Latham added three goals for UMBC, while Wimer recorded a goal and two helpers

The UMBC offense has been dynamic, averaging 11.1 goals per game and six players have six or more goals on the campaign. The Retrievers entered play this week at the No. 14-ranked scoring offense in the country. UMBC’s first midfield of senior Peet Poillon (10g, 13a), junior Kyle Wimer (15g, 8a) and senior Alex Hopmann (19g, 2a) are the team’s top three scorers.

UMBC is a stunning 15 of 27 (55.6%) with the man advantage this season, a figure which is third in the nation behind only Syarcuse and Maryland.  

Stony Brook is just behind UMBC, scoring 10.72 goals per game and has hit double digits in goals in five of seven contests. Sophomore attackman Jordan McBride leads the conference with 23 goals and is shooting nearly 47 percent. Face-off specialist Adam Rand is winning over 58 percent at the “x” to date. The Seawolves have outscored foes, 27-17, in the first quarter this season.

The Series: UMBC leads, 9-4

            At Stony Brook: UMBC leads, 4-2

            Streak: UMBC, +3

UMBC vs.Stony Brook                     Misc.

1997    A         W        12-11  

1998    H         W        18-9

1999    A         W        13-7

2000    H         W        15-3

2001    A         L          9-10

2002    H         W        11-3

2003    A         W        12-6                 debut of La Valle Stadium

2004    H         L          5-6                   UMBC’s lone America East regular season home loss

2005    A         L          9-10                

            H         L          6-12                 America East Semifinals

2006    H         W        20-9                 clinched regular season title for Retrievers

2007    A         W        13-5                 earned share of regular season title

2008    H         W        14-12               Latham 4g; Smith 3g, 2a

TALE OF THE TAPE