UMBC

Baltimore, Md.—UMBC forwards Andrew Bulls (Millersville, Md./McDonogh) and Levi Houapeu (Germantown, Md./Watkins Mill) recorded a goal and an assist apiece, as a young Retriever squad bested visiting Virginia Tech, 3-1, before an impressive 1,105 fans in the opening match for both squads at UMBC Soccer Stadium.

UMBC won its fourth straight season debut and improved to 17-2-0 in lid-lifters under Head Coach Pete Caringi.

“It was a great day, a great crowd and our guys came out excited to play.” Caringi said. “Any time you beat a program like Virginia Tech on opening day, you have to say it was a successful start. The fact we played a lot of young players made it even more satisfying.”

The Retrievers started four freshmen and were in attack mode from the start, taking the first six shots of the game and holding the Hokies without an attempt until the 31^st minute. By that time, UMBC had struck twice, as junior midfielder Sean Rothe (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) opened the scoring at the 16:19 mark, redirecting Bulls’ free kick in from eight yards out.

Two seconds shy of ten minutes later, Bulls picked up where he left off as a freshman, scoring his ninth career goal.  Freshman Milo Kapor (Woodbridge, Ont.) fed Houapeu and both UMBC forwards raced in, two-on-two with the Hokie defense. Houapeu’s feed gave Bulls a good left side angle, and the 2008 America East All-Rookie teamer drilled a left-footed shot into the far right corner from 12 yards out.

UMBC held the 2-0 lead at intermission and extended it to 3-0 at the 52:18 mark. Sophomore midfielder Andy Streilein (Rockville, Md./Thomas Wootton/U. Delaware) hit Houapeu on a counter attack and the speedy junior raced nearly 60 yards down the left side, cut to the goal, and beat Hokie netminder Brendan Dunn inside the far right post from seven yards away.

Freshman Phil Saunders (Perry Hall, Md./Perry Hall) earned the start in goal for UMBC and performed well, making three saves and punching several crosses away from danger. His mates could not get him the shutout, as Virginia Tech midfielder James Gilson stole a pass at the 25-yard line, deked a UMBC defender and scored into the far right corner from 13 yards out.

The win snapped a five-game losing streak to the Hokies and was UMBC’s first-ever victory over Virginia Tech on home turf. Tech, which won last year’s game, 2-1 in overtime in Blacksburg, leads the series, 6-3-0.

Bulls, named America East Player of the Game, has a goal in each of UMBC’s matches with Virginia Tech. He led all players with five shots in the contest.

The Retrievers outshot the Hokies, 11-7. Dunn posted four saves for the visitors. 

UMBC will compete in Navy’s Anders Classic this weekend, opening play vs. Delaware on Friday, Sept. 4 at 5:00 p.m.