UMBC

BALTIMORE- UMBC junior attackman Scott Jones (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) tied a career-high with five goals and led a furious comeback, but the host Retrievers fell to Stony Brook, 10-8, before 960 fans at UMBC Stadium.

The Seawolves won their 17^th consecutive regular season contest and improved to 3-0 in the conference and 4-7 overall, while UMBC slipped to 2-1 in league play and 4-6 overall.

Jones was UMBC’s America East Player of the Game, while Stony Brook senior midfielder Robbie Campbell earned the honor for his side. Campbell scored four goals and shared the spotlight with junior goalkeeper Sean Brady, who made 14 saves for the visitors.

The Retrievers trailed, 9-2, late in the third quarter, but exploded for five goals in the span of 3:11 to trim the deficit to 9-7 with 12:17 remaining. Jones started the surge by converting a Joe Lustgarten (Wading River, N.Y.) feed with 32 seconds left in the third quarter.

Sophomore face-off specialist Phil Poe (Harwood, Md./DeMatha) won all seven fourth quarter draws and UMBC capitalized early in the fourth. Sophomore midfielder Conor Finch (Westminster, Md./Boys’ Latin) scored 52 seconds into the period, and after an SBU violation on the ensuing draw, Poe fed sophomore attackman Matt Gregoire (Crofton, Md./South River), who scored to cut the deficit to 9-5.

Gregoire picked off a Stony Brook clearing pass and fed Jones on the left doorstep for UMBC’s sixth goal at the 13:16 mark and Jones’ rocket from a sharp left angle on freshman Derek Bertolini’s (Madison, Conn.) pass brought the hosts to within 9-7 with 12:17 to play.

The Retrievers had two possessions to cut the lead to one, but committed turnovers in each case. The second miscue led to a Seawolf fast break and freshman attackman Mike Rooney scored to restore a three-goal visitor margin at 10-7 with 8:11 to play.

Jones scored his team-leading 27^th goal on a cross-field feed from junior middie Scott Hopmann (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary’s) to pull UMBC to within a pair with 2:23 to play. But Bertolini’s shot with 1:47 remaining was easily handled by Brady and the Retrievers never regained possession.  

Lustgarten had a goal and two helpers for UMBC and now has 10 assists in his last four outings.

Poe won 15 of 22 face-offs and led all players with eight ground balls. But UMBC suffered 21 turnovers in the game, mostly in the offensive end, as they only failed to clear on one of 16 opportunities.

Rooney also scored four times for Stony Brook.

Stony Brook scored the game’s first three goals and UMBC did not get on the board until 2:54 remained in the first quarter, when Lustgarten scored an unassisted goal. The Seawolves led, 5-1 after 15 minutes and 6-2 at halftime.

Shots were even at 30 apiece and UMBC junior goalkeeper Adam Cohen (Arnold, Md../Severn) made 10 stops for the Retrievers.

The Retrievers have another opportunity to take on an undefeated America East squad when they face Albany at home next Saturday, April 21.