UMBC

Natalie Rau boasts a 9.31 goals-against average.

BALTIMORE—The UMBC women’s lacrosse team (8-4, 2-1 AE) takes on America East rival Vermont (7-6, 1-2 AE) Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Catamounts’ Moulton Winder Field.

Last Time Out: Junior midfielder Alicia Krause (Ellicott City, Md./Mount Hebron/Duquesne) tallied six points on five goals and an assist to lead the women’s lacrosse team to a 10-8 victory over America East rival Stony Brook on Wednesday. Senior midfielder Amanda Pappas (Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake) helped the Retrievers with two goals while sparking a 4-0 second-half run that gave UMBC control of the game. Senior goalie Natalie Rau (Forest Hill, Md./Fallston) made eight saves.

On the Catamounts: After a five-game winning streak, Vermont has dropped two in a row to America East rivals Binghamton and Albany. Attack Allison Pfohl led the Catamounts in a 19-3 loss to the Great Danes with a pair of goals, and midfielder Samantha Stern added a goal and an assist. Laura Barber and Elise Mazurak split time in the UVM net and combined to make seven saves. Freshman midfielder Sydney Mas, the reigning America East Rookie of the Week, leads the conference with 40 goals, 46 points and 42 draw controls. Barber has seen most of the minutes between the pipes for Vermont and has posted an 11.57 goals-against average and a .409 save percentage. The Catamounts, who were picked to finish fifth in the America East preseason poll, rank second in the America East with 11.69 goals scored per game, and they lead the league with 215 ground balls and 172 draw controls.

Inside the Series: UMBC is 4-3 all-time against Vermont dating to 2004, when the Retrievers joined the America East. The Catamounts had taken three in a row before UMBC won, 15-9, in Baltimore last season. Attack Erika Braerman (Fallston, Md./Fallston) led the Retrievers with five goals, and goalie Kate Quick made 11 saves. Stern led Vermont with three goals.

Century Mark: With her two goals against Stony Brook on Wednesday, Pappas became the 17th Retriever ever to score 100 goals in her career.

UMBC Career Goals

11. Jackie Seboda, 1987-90       115

12. Robi Tamargo, 1981-83        111

      Dolly Ginter, 1985-87           111

14. Jenny Held, 1990-93             100

      Kelly Fahey, 2004-07           100

      Kara Dorr, 2006-09              100

      Amanda Pappas, 2008-       100

Century Mark, Part II: Junior attack Emily Coady (Westminster, Md./Westminster) became the 32^nd Retriever ever to record 100 career points last Saturday against Boston University, and she is the third to reach the mark this season, joining Braerman (March 2) and Pappas (March 5). They are the fifth trio of teammates in UMBC history with 100 points apiece, and Krause (95) and senior midfielder Ashley Stodter (91) are also nearing the mark. In addition, Pappas recently moved into the Retrievers’ all-time top 20 scoring list, ranking 18th with 126 career points.

Three Teammates with 100 Career Points

1987: Laura Robinson (248), Laurie Linnell (187), Jackie Abendschoen (160) and Dolly Ginter (148)

2001: Renee Tirocchi (146), Jamie Gerhart (115) and Ashley Staines (109)

2002: Jamie Gerhart (173), Loree Miller (132) and Ashley Staines (121)

2007: Kelly Fahey (152), Jen Kasper (130) and Ali Levendusky (116)

2011: Amanda Pappas (126), Erika Braerman (122) and Emily Coady (101)

*Point totals through the end of that season

UMBC Career Points

14. Debbie Krastel, 1996-99             143

15. Loree Miller, 1998-2002             132

16. Heather Komarnik, 1995-98       130

      Jen Kasper, 2003-07                  130

18. Amanda Pappas, 2008-             126

19. Robi Tamargo, 1981-83              125

Helping Hand: With an assist against Stony Brook on Wednesday, Braerman moved into a tie for fifth place all-time at UMBC with 53 career helpers.

UMBC Career Assists

1. Jen Dragoni, 2001-04                    63

2. Laurie Linnell, 1984-87                 58

3. Laura Robinson, 1984-87              57

4. Jamie Gerhart, 1999-2002             54

5. Jenny Held, 1990-93                     53

    Erika Braerman, 2008-               53

6. Kelly Fahey, 2004-07                   52

Home Sweet Home: The Retrievers are 6-1 at home this season, averaging 12.14 goals per game and allowing just 8.29.

Pappas Steps Up: After scoring just seven goals through the first six games of the season, Pappas has tallied 20 in her last six contests, including six against Manhattan on March 13 and four each against Mount St. Mary’s (March 19) and Loyola (March 23).

Streaking: Stodter has tallied a point in 16 straight games dating to April 10, 2010, while Krause has one in all 12 contests so far this season. In addition, Pappas has found the back of the net at least once in eight straight games.

Taking on the Best: UMBC will face three teams that were ranked in the top 10 in the most recent IWLCA poll, including No. 5 Loyola (March 23), No. 6 Florida (Feb. 23) and No. 10 Albany (April 30). In addition, Johns Hopkins (April 13) is also receiving votes in the poll. So far, the Retrievers are 1-2 against ranked opponents this season, falling to the then-16th-ranked Gators, 16-6, and to the then-sixth-ranked Greyhounds, 15-8, but upsetting then-No. 17 Towson, 10-9. UMBC is 7-86 against ranked teams since 1988 and has never beaten more than one ranked foe in the same season. The highest-ranked opponent the Retrievers have knocked off was 11th, accomplished three times (Boston University in 2006, George Mason in 2000 and Old Dominion in 1999).

20/20: The 20 goals scored against Manhattan on March 13 were the most UMBC has scored since March 29, 2010, a 20-7 win against the same Jaspers squad in Riverdale, N.Y. Combined with the 15 goals scored against Mount St. Mary’s on March 19, the Retrievers tallied 35 goals, their best two-game stretch since combining for 38 against Iona and Stony Brook March 17-21, 2009.

Beasts in America East: UMBC is the only team in the America East with two players averaging at least 3.0 points per game this season, as Krause (3.17) ranks fourth and Braerman (3.0) is tied for fifth. 

Dawg Bites: The Retrievers have won four straight America East openers following their 10-8 victory over New Hampshire on March 23… It was UMBC’s first-ever win against the Wildcats in 10 all-time meetings… Braerman took home the season’s first America East Player of the Week award on Feb. 21, the second such award of her career… Sophomore defender Jamie Fahey (Baldwin, Md./Loch Raven), the reigning America East Rookie of the Year, earned the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week award on Feb. 21 and March 7… UMBC was a perfect 3-0 against Colonial Athletic Association opponents this season, defeating George Mason (19-7, Feb. 11), Towson (10-9, March 2) and Delaware (8-5, March 9)… Krause leads the Retrievers with 38 points on 25 goals and 13 assists, while Pappas is tops on the team with 27 goals and Braerman with 14 helpers… Fahey has picked up a team-high 24 ground balls and is tied with Krause for the team lead with 17 draw controls, while senior defender C.J. Durham (Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake) leads the Retrievers with 13 caused turnovers… UMBC was picked to finish third in the America East preseason poll.

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