UMBC

Albany, N.Y.—Senior midfielder Peet Poillon (Cranberry Township, Pa.) scored three of his game-high four goals in the first quarter leading seventh-ranked UMBC to a convincing 15-7 win over America East rival Albany in a battle for first place in the conference.

The Retrievers have won six straight and improved to 9-2 overall and 3-0 in league play. Albany dropped its second straight game and fell to 6-4, 2-1. UMBC has now won 12 straight regular season conference contests.

Six of the previous nine match-ups have been decided by a single goal, including the 2008 America East title game, in which UMBC rallied from an 11-2 second quarter deficit to win 14-13 in Baltimore. But the Retrievers jumped on the hosts from the start, taking a 6-0 first quarter lead and margins of 10-2 at halftime and 13-4 after three quarters.

Freshman midfielder Justin Radebaugh (Lutherville, Md./Boys’ Latin) continued his surge in the face-off circle, as he won 16 of 24 draws and collected a season-high 10 ground balls. He also recorded his first career point, an assist in the second half.

Poillon got the Retrievers on the board 2:14 into the game, as his off-speed bounce shot fooled UAlbany netminder Dan McKeon and went in under the crossbar. After senior midfielder Alex Hopmann (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) and sophomore middie Jamie Kimbles (Centreville, Md./Queen Anne’s) tallied at the 5:38 and 6:43 marks, Poillon posted back-to-back unassisted scores to complete his first quarter hat trick before freshman midfielder Sean McKenna (Clarksville, Md./DeMatha) capped the 6-0 first quarter run with his first career goal at the 13:32 mark.

The Great Danes responded with two early second quarter goals, but junior attackman Matt Latahm (Eldersburrg, Md./Liberty) and midfielder Kyle Wimer made connections midway through the quarter to restore a six-goal advantage. Latham took Wimer’s inside feed for a quick underhanded shot and 50^th career goal at the 6:38 mark and returned the favor, setting up Wimer in front just 77 seconds later.

UMBC outshot Albany, 34-12, in the first 30 minutes, won 10 of 14 draws and enjoyed a 31-8 margin in ground balls.

Trailing by eight at intermission, Albany took advantage of a UMBC turnover and scored on a four-on-three break 2:15 into the third quarter. But the Retrievers went on a 4-1 run, capped by Hopmann’s second goal of the game and took complete command, 14-4, 48 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Hopmann and Latham each produced two goals and an assist as ten Retrievers hit the nets.

UMBC finished with season high in shots (50), ground balls (47), and face-offs won (16).

Senior netminder Jeremy Blevins (Cockeysville, Md./Calvert Hall) made 10 saves and allowed six goals in 58 minutes of work.

Attackmen Joe Resetarits and Corey Small led Albany with two goals each.

Notes: UMBC has averaged 14.0 goals per game in the last four games and are allowing only 5.0 in the last three outings… The Retrievers won their third straight in the series, and now lead it, 7-3…the eight-goal margin of victory is the largest by either team in six regular season meetings, shy by one of UMBC’s 19-10 win in the 2006 America East title game… Latham has 22 goals in his last eight America East outings and has eight goals in his last three games vs. Albany… UMBC is 9-0 when Latham scores this season… UMBC’s 42 wins over this current four-year period (42-17) ties the most in any four-year span (1974-77) in school history… The Retrievers have won 14 consecutive Saturday games…Poillon tied his career high with four goals and also recorded his 50^th career goal (now 53) in 28 career games… UMBC is now 4-0 on the road this season... UMBC travels to Harford for a April 18 game with the Hawks and would sew up a No. 1 seed in the America East Tournament with a victory.