UMBC

Baltimore, Md.—UMBC junior forward Levi Houapeu (Germantown, Md./Watkins Mill) recorded the Retrievers’ first three-goal game in three years, leading the Retrievers (7-0-0) to a 3-0 win over Drexel before 1,045 fans at sun-drenched UMBC Soccer Stadium.

The team’s seven wins to start a season breaks the school Division I record of the 1999 team, which played Fairleigh Dickinson to a 1-1 draw in the seventh game of the season were 6-0-1 after seven games. That squad went on to the nation’s best record of 19-1-2.

“I could have never imagined that this team could put together this kind of amazing run,” head coach Pete Caringi said. “I like the way we are maturing and we have done a great job in taking things one day at a time. But never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that this would happen.”

Houapeu, who was held off the scoreboard for the first time this season in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Towson, struck quickly in the ninth minute of play. After receiving a pass in the box from junior midfielder Sean Rothe (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley), Houapeu’s drive struck a Dragon defender, but bounded right back to him, and his shot from 14 yards away found the right corner of the net.

In the 25^th minute, Houapeu picked up an errant Drexel pass in their box, and quickly wheeled and again hit the right corner of the net, past Dragon netminder Tim Washam.

UMBC carried that 2-0 lead into the second half and took control from the outset of the final 45 minutes. They cashed in with nearly 14 minutes remaining, as sophomore forward Andrew Bulls (Millersville, Md./McDonogh) broke down the left side and slid a pass to a streaking Houapeu down the right slot. Washam got a piece of Houapeu’s 12-yard effort, but could not prevent his eighth goal of the season.

Kevin Mezzadra recorded UMBC’s last three-goal effort in a 3-1 home win over Howard on Sept. 20, 2006. 

UMBC outshot Drexel, 16-8, and freshman goalkeeper Phil Saunders (Perry Hall, Md./Perry Hall) recorded his second straight shutout by making four saves. Washam had seven stops for the Dragons. DU reserve midfielder Taylor Brophy collected five of Drexel’s eight shots and put four on goal.

The Retrievers complete their five-game homestand on Tuesday, Sept. 22, when they entertain  Loyola under the lights at UMBC Stadium.

Notes: The win was UMBC’s first-ever over Drexel, which leads the all-time series, 4-1-1… Bulls did not score a goal for the first time this season, but his assist on Houapeu’s final goal kept his scoring streak alive at seven… The back-to-back shutouts are UMBC’s first since Oct. 20 (2-0 over Albany) and Oct. 23 (4-0 at Howard) since 2008.