The UMBC men’s soccer team (5-3-1, 0-1-0 America East) attempts to snap its first two-game slide in a calendar year when the Retrievers visit New Hampshire (5-3- 0, 1-0-0 AE) on Saturday, October 1. The contest will begin at 6:00 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium and will be broadcast by ESPN+.
RECOVERY NOTES
- Visiting UAlbany scored in the 85′ to break a scoreless tie and beat UMBC, 1-0, in the America East Conference opener for both sides on September 24. The Retrievers edged past the Great Danes, 13-9, and attempted eight of contested 11 corners. UMBC came out strong in the second half and had four outstanding chances to take the lead but were denied before the Danes secured the late victory.
- UMBC is 5-1-0 at Retriever Soccer Park this season and 0-2-1 on the road, all of which have been played on artificial surfaces.
- After his 3-0 win over St. Peter’s on Sept. 17, senior goaltender Jones found himself tied for sixth on UMBC’s all-time shutouts list with Robbie Mamula (’93) and Andy Marchica (’06). He earned his 24th career win, tying him with Steve King (’09) for fifth on the all-time winning list.
- Nationally, UMBC is tied for 12th in goals scored (22), tied for 19th in goal differential (+12), tied for 18th in goals per game (2 .44) and 33rd for corner kicks attempted (6.44) per game.
- Senior Midfielder Ryan Becher reached the plateaus of 15 goals and 40 points (17g, 13a, 47 pts.). He is trying to become the first Retriever to reach the 20-goal mark since Pete CaringiIII scored 37 from 2010 to 2013. Becher leads the team with five goals and three assists, closely followed by the second-year forward spencer hank (5-2-12) and junior forward Taylor Calheira (4-3-11).
- Calheira set a school record by scoring 10 seconds into the game against St. Francis Brooklyn on September 2.
- The Tabbed American East Conference spencer hank as Offensive Player of the Week on August 29. Hanks, who missed the entire 2021 season recovering from ACL surgery, returned to the field and scored three goals and added an assist in the Retrievers’ 8-2 win over Fairfield on August 26. Hanks also earned a spot on College Football News’ Team of the Week for games ending September 4.
- The head coach Pete Caringi, Jr. enters his 32nd season in charge of the Retrievers. The 2014 NSCAA National Coach of the Year has now posted a 315-201-80 record in his tenure on Hilltop Circle. He is assisted by the Associate Head Coach Anthony AdamsUMBC, ’97, who spent the previous 25 years on the sidelines with Coach Caringi, after four years (1992-95) competing under Retriever mentors. Pete CaringiIII enters year No. 9 on staff and volunteer assistant coach Sam DeBone is entering his 24th year in his role.
A LOOK AT WILDCATS
- After a 2-3 start, the Wildcats, the defending regular season champions, have won three straight, including the last two in dominant fashion.
- UNH opened the America East game with a 4-1 win at Bryant on Sept. 24, then routed Harvard by the same scoreline at Cambridge on Tuesday.
- Junior striker Eli Goldman has scored twice against the Crimsons, while senior midfielder Bilal Kamal has scored in each of the last two wins. Goldman and Kamal each have three goals to lead a balanced UNH attack.
- Senior goaltender Jassem Koleilat is second in America East with a .779 goals-against average. UNH only allows 3.0 shots on goal per game.
THE SERIES OF ALL TIME
- UNH holds a 10-8-6 series advantage and has won five straight in the series.
- Last season, the Retrievers battled the undefeated Wildcats to a near stoppage at Retriever Soccer Park in late October, but UNH prevailed 1-0. The two teams met again in the America East semi-finals, where the host Wildcats took a 4-0 victory.
- UMBC’s last win at Durham came the year the Retrievers qualified for the College Cup. The Retrievers won 2-0 in 2014 but have not lost four games in a row at Durham.
NEXT
- The Retrievers host UMass Lowell in the return game on Saturday, October 8 at 7:00 p.m. The 1992 and 2012 teams will be honored in halftime ceremonies, along with 2022 UMBC Athletics Hall of Famer Levi Houapeu.