UMBC

Ali Levendusky scored a career-high five goals in the Retrievers' 23-8 rout of Vermont.

Baltimore, Md.-Vermont (5-7, 0-3 AEC) took a 3-2 lead early in the first half, but the UMBC women’s lacrosse team (8-6, 3-1 AEC) scored six straight goals and eight of nine to end the period before tallying the first seven goals of the second half for a 23-8 America East Conference victory on Senior Day at UMBC Stadium Saturday afternoon. The win snaps the Retrievers’ two-game losing streak.

Freshman midfielder Kara Dorr (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) put the Retrievers on the board first, as she scored off a feed from sophomore attack Meghan Keelan (Randallstown, Md./Mount de Sales) just 1:08 into the game. But Vermont tallied three of the next four goals to take a 3-2 lead with 19:43 to play in the first half.

Junior attack Jen Kasper (Eldersburg, Md./South Carroll) scored at the 11:48 mark, starting the Retrievers’ 6-0 run over the next 7:21 for an 8-3 advantage. Kasper and sophomore attack Ali Levendusky (Baldwin, Md./John Carroll) each scored twice during that span. Vermont’s Ashleigh Wilson notched the Catamounts’ fourth goal with 3:43 to play, but Levendusky and junior attack Heather Licht (Sparks, Md./Hereford) scored the final two goals of the period as UMBC went into halftime leading 10-4.

The Retrievers scored the first seven goals of the second half and outscored Vermont, 13-2, over the first 27:30 of the period. Licht scored three times, while seniors Kelly Fiorani (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) and Kelley Duncan (Havre de Grace, Md./C. Milton Wright/Frostburg State) scored twice. Duncan’s goals were the first of her UMBC career.

Vermont’s Tori Wasson tallied the final two goals of the game, as UMBC won, 23-8.

Levendusky posted a career-high five goals, including four in the first half, to lead all scorers. Playing at UMBC Stadium for the final time in their careers, seniors Fiorani, Duncan and Julie Libertini (Parkton, Md./Mount de Sales) all scored in the rout. Duncan added three assists to her two goals for five points, while Fiorani scored three times and Libertini notched a goal and an assist for two points.

Fiorani’s three goals give her sole possession of third place all-time in UMBC history with 133 in her career.

Licht scored a career-high four goals, including three in the second half, while Dorr and Kasper each tallied four points on three goals and an assist. Freshman attack Kyle Routson (Lutherville, Md./Towson) also scored her first career goal.

Emilie Clark led the Catamounts with three goals, while Wasson also tallied three points on two goals and an assist.

Freshman goalie Susie Sweeney (Madison, N.J./Madison) registered six saves and allowed five goals in 44:25 of play to pick up the win, while freshman Jen Venter (Crownsville, Md./Annapolis Area Christian) played the final 15:35 in net and allowed three goals without recording a save.

Vermont goalkeeper Meaghan Hanley registered 10 saves while playing all 60 minutes.

UMBC out-shot Vermont, 46-20, including 26-8 in the second half. The Retrievers also won the draw control battle, 19-14, and picked up 32 ground balls to the Catamounts’ 18.

The 23 goals equal the most the Retrievers have scored this season, as they also tallied 23 in the season opener against Howard.

Fiorani, Duncan, Libertini and senior Ede Carpenter (Catonsville, Md./Catonsville/CCBC-Catonsville) were all honored before the game.

The Retrievers return to action Wednesday, April 19, when they travel to Athens, Ohio, to take on the Ohio Bobcats at 3 p.m.