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News Release

WOMEN’S LACROSSE HOSTS SEVENTH-RANKED JOHNS HOPKINS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

4/11/2006

Jen Kasper and the Retrievers look to take down their second-straight ranked opponent.

Baltimore, Md.-The UMBC women’s lacrosse team returns home Wednesday afternoon to host No. 7 Johns Hopkins at 4 p.m. at UMBC Stadium. Both teams had their winning streaks snapped over the weekend, as the Retrievers (7-5) fell for the first time in five games, while the Blue Jays (8-1) suffered their first loss in the ninth game of the season.

A Look Ahead

Wednesday, April 12: UMBC vs. No. 7 Johns Hopkins, 4 p.m., UMBC Stadium: The Blue Jays are 8-1 overall and 3-0 in the American Lacrosse Conference. They suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday, when they fell to then-seventh ranked Maryland, 14-11, at Homewood Field. Hopkins was ranked second in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association poll last week, their highest-ever Division-I ranking.  Mary Key, who was named to the Tewaaraton Trophy Watch List, leads the Blue Jays with 34 goals, 24 assists and 58 points. Kadie Stamper is tops with 34 draw controls and tied with Lauren Schwarzmann for the team lead in ground balls with 19. Goalie Lauren Riddick has allowed 45 goals in 353:59 for a 7.63 goals-against average.

Last Time vs. the Blue Jays

The Retrievers and Blue Jays met last season for the first time since 1999, Hopkins’ inaugural Division-I campaign, when UMBC won, 15-14. In 2005, however, 12th-ranked JHU came out on top, 16-6. The Blue Jays held a 7-2 advantage at halftime, and the Retrievers could not string together consecutive goals at any point throughout the game. Kelly Fiorani was the only multiple goal scorer for UMBC with two tallies. Hopkins’ Mary Key led all players with five goals and eight points. The Retrievers are 10-3-1 all-time against the Blue Jays.

Looking Back

Saturday, April 8: New Hampshire 20, UMBC 9: Sophomore attack Ali Levendusky (Baldwin, Md./John Carroll) scored four goals for the Retrievers, but New Hampshire tallied 10 unanswered to end the game, as UMBC had its four-game winning streak snapped with a 20-9 loss to the America East rival Wildcats. Senior midfielder Kelly Fiorani (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) put the Retrievers on the board first with an unassisted goal just 1:55 into the game. But the Wildcats scored the next four and eight of the next nine to take an 8-2 lead with 16:11 to play in the first half. The Retrievers scored two of the final three goals of the period and went into halftime trailing, 9-4. Fiorani and Levendusky each scored twice in the first half to account for all four UMBC goals.

The Retrievers opened the second half with a 5-1 run to pull to within one goal at 10-9, but that would be the last goal the Retrievers would get, as UNH scored the final 10 goals of the game, holding UMBC scoreless for the last 19:35 of play for the 20-9 victory. Levendusky led the Retrievers with five points on four goals and one assist, while Fiorani scored four points on two goals and two assists.

Fiorani Climbs Charts

Fiorani leads the Retrievers with 28 goals, 40 points and 19 caused turnovers, and she is second with 12 assists. She now has 129 career goals, tying her with Laurie Linnell (’87) for fourth on UMBC’s all-time list and leaving her just three behind third-place Jackie Abendschoen (’88). Her 176 career points and 47 career assists rank sixth and seventh, respectively, in school history. Abendschoen is next on her list in both categories, as well. Fiorani is also second in goals scored UMBC’s Division-I history behind Alison Zaetz (’96) and third in Division-I points behind Zaetz and former teammate Jen Dragoni (’04). UMBC became a Division-I program in 1987.

Most Goals/Career
1. Laura Robinson            192      1984-87
2. Alison Zaetz                 158      1993-96
3. Jackie Abendschoen     132      1985-88
4. Laurie Linnell                129      1984-87
    Kelly Fiorani              129      2003-Present

Most Points/Career
1. Laura Robinson            248      1984-87
2. Alison Zaetz                 191      1993-96
3. Laurie Linnell                187      1984-87
4. Jen Dragoni                  186      2001-04
5. Jackie Abendschoen     182      1985-88
6. Kelly Fiorani              176      2003-Present

Most Assists/Career
1. Jen Dragoni                  63        2001-04
2. Laurie Linnell                58        1984-87
3. Laura Robinson            57        1984-87
4. Jenny Held                   53        1990-93
    Jamie Gerhart               53        1999-2002
6. Jackie Abendschoen     50        1985-88
7. Kelly Fiorani              47        2003-Present

Retrievers in the America East

Fiorani is tied for third in the conference with 28 goals scored and ranks fourth with 40 points, sixth with 3.33 points per game and seventh with 2.33 goals per game. Her 67 shots rank fifth and her 5.58 shots per game are sixth. She also ranks third with 19 caused turnovers and fifth with 1.58 per game. Sophomore attack Meghan Keelan (Randallstown, Md./Mount de Sales) is tied for sixth in he America East with 14 assists and tied for ninth with 1.17 helpers per game. In addition, freshman midfielder Kara Dorr (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) is tied for the league lead with three game-winning goals and ranks third with 32 draw controls and 2.67 draws per game. Freshman goalie Susie Sweeney (Madison, N.J./Madison) ranks fourth with a .507 save percentage and 9.0 saves per game, and her 108 saves are third.

As a team, the Retrievers rank second with 147 goals and third with 12.25 per game. They lead the league with 367 ground balls and 30.58 per game, and their 160 draw controls also are best in the America East, while they rank second with 13.33 draws per game. UMBC’s .439 shot percentage is also tops in the conference, while the 141 caused turnovers and 11.75 per game both rank second, as do the Retrievers’ 124 saves and 10.33 stops per game. Finally, UMBC’s .484 save percentage ranks third.

Retrievers Honored

Levendusky and Sweeney each earned America East honors on April 4 for their roles in the Retrievers’ upset victory over Boston University. Levendusky was named conference Player of the Week, while Sweeney was tabbed Defender of the Week. In addition, Dorr was named Rookie of the Week by womenslacrosse.com. Dorr also earned America East Rookie of the Week honors on March 19 after her performance against William and Mary.

Dawg Bites…

With seven wins on the season, the Retrievers have already surpassed their win total from 2005, when they finished 5-10, and they are one conference victory shy of equaling last season’s America East win total (3)… Fiorani has scored at least one goal in all 12 games this season, including at least three in five different games, with a career-high five goals against Virginia Tech...  Levendusky has scored 10 goals and 13 points in the last three games, leading the Retrievers. Six of her goals came in the two games last week… Levendusky also leads UMBC with eight goals and 10 points in three conference games this season… Sophomore attack Keelan leads the Retrievers with 14 assists, while freshman midfielder Dorr is tops on the team with 38 ground balls and 32 draw controls… UMBC is 1-2 against ranked opponents this season with a thrilling victory over No. 11 Boston University and narrow losses to No. 14 Loyola and No. 11 William and Mary… The Retrievers’ victory over the Terriers on April 1 was their first-ever over the defending America East champions in six tries.