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News Release

Women’s Soccer Hosts Penn Under the Lights Tuesday Evening

9/28/2009

Junior Christine Sadowski

BALTIMORE—The UMBC women’s soccer team (0-7-1) hosts the Penn Quakers (3-2-2) Tuesday evening in non-conference action. Kick-off from UMBC Stadium is set for 7 p.m.

Last Time Out: The Retrievers dropped a 7-0 decision to America East rival Maine on Sunday at the Black Bears’ Alumni Field in the conference opener for both teams. Sophomore goalie Mo Van Vlerah (Ijamsville, Md./Northwest) recorded seven saves.

On the Quakers: Penn is 3-2-2 on the season and is coming off a 3-2 loss at Ivy League foe Harvard on Saturday… After winning three of their first four contests of the season, the Quakers are currently riding a three-game winless streak… Forward Jessica Fuccello leads Penn with nine goals and 18 points… She is the Ivy League’s top scorer… Penn also leads the Ivy League in goals per game (2.29)… Goalie Caroline Williams has posted a 1.59 goals-against average and a .745 save percentage while playing all 680 minutes between the pipes for the Quakers… She is tied for second in the Ivy League with 5.0 saves per game.

The Series: Tuesday’s match marks the third straight season the Retrievers have faced the Quakers. Penn has won the first two meetings, including a 3-0 decision last season in Philadelphia. The teams had never met before 2007.

Saving the Day: Van Vlerah ranks second in the America East with 7.5 saves per game and fifth with 60 saves on the season. She stopped a career-high 14 shots at George Mason last Tuesday, besting her 10-save effort in the previous game against George Washington. Van Vlerah has played every minute between the pipes for the Retrievers.

Extra, Extra: The Retrievers’ double-overtime tie with George Washington on Sept. 18 was their first overtime game since Oct. 7, 2007, at Maine, and their first tie since Sept. 21, 2007, at Sacred Heart. With Thursday’s overtime loss to VMI, UMBC has now played two games of more than 90 minutes after not playing one for nearly two years.

Underclassmen on Top: With freshman midfielder Katie Gitlin’s (Owings, Md./Northern) goal against George Washington, 26 of UMBC’s 29 goals since 2007 have been scored by underclassmen, including 18 by freshmen.

Up Next: The Retrievers take on their final non-conference opponent of the season in Delaware State on Friday at 7 p.m. in Dover, Del.