Lacrosse Live Blog Recap: UMBC Beats Binghamton, 8-6

The UMBC men's lacrosse team scored only one goal in the second half, but that was enough to beat visiting Binghamton 8-6 at UMBC Stadium Saturday before 733 spectators.

Dave Brown scored three goals and had an assist for a team-leading four points, including two goals that came less than a minute apart in the second quarter.

The Retrievers (4-5, 1-1 America East Conference) scored six goals in the second quarter after scoring only once in the first. The only tally afterward came with 11:01 remaining in the third.

Brown said he was just trying to adjust to the Bearcat (5-6, 1-1) defense in the first quarter before breaking out in the second.

"It all really started with a  good, hard dodge," he said of his first score, which gave UMBC a 4-2 lead.

"I think Dave Brown got us going on offense," UMBC coach Don Zimmerman said.

But in the second half, Brown and the rest of the offense went silent as Binghamton switched to a zone defense that befuddled the Retriever attack.

"We need to work more on our zone offense, that's apparent," Zimmerman said after his team had two scoring droughts of 25 minutes each in a 60 minute game.

But Zimmerman praised his defense for gutting out UMBC's first conference win this season.

"We wanted to play together," said midfielder J.D. Harkey. "Not so much worrying about assignments...just flying around and communicating."

"We just stayed poised the whole time," defensive midfielder Brian Patton said.

The Retrievers were outshot by Binghamton 33-26, but UMBC held a 30-22 edge in ground balls. The Bearcats won 10-of-18 face-offs.

UMBC goalkeeper Brian McCullough played all 60 minutes and made six saves.

(FINAL 2:04 p.m.) UMBC has defeated Binghamton 8-6 at UMBC Stadium.

Brian McCullough made a save to end the aforementioned series, but a Retrievers turnover allowed the Bearcats one more opportunity with under 30 seconds to play.

UMBC's defense held and did not allow Binghamton to get off a shot on goal.

I'll be back after heading down to the field to chat with Retrievers coach Don Zimmerman, whose team has won consecutive games for the first time this season. UMBC 8, Binghamton 6.

(UPDATE  1:58 p.m.) Binghamton has called time out with 1:22 remaining in the fourth quarter and possession.

The Bearcats remain down two, 8-6, and likely need to come away with a score in this possession to get the win.

Face-offs have been fairly even this game, with Binghamton winning 10-0f-18.

(UPDATE 1:52 p.m.) Binghamton's David Raleigh just brought the Bearcats back within two, 8-6, with 4:08 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Raleigh, assisted by John Clark, bounced a low shot past UMBC goalkeeper Brian McCullough from about 12 yards out.

The Retrievers are holding on in this game without much help from their offense, which has scored just once this half. UMBC 8, Binghamton 6.

(UPDATE 1:41 p.m.) UMBC's Zach Linkous scored his second goal of the day with 11:01 remaining in the fourth quarter to break a 25-minute scoring drought for the Retrievers, who upped their lead to 8-5 over Binghamton.

Linkous was assisted by Jamie Kimbles on the play.

Despite coming into this game stopping 55.1 percent of shots, Bearcats goalkeeper Kraig Heston has saved only 3-of-11 shots today. UMBC 8, Binghamton 5.

(UPDATE 1:33 pm.) UMBC was held without a score in the third quarter, but the Retrievers still lead Binghamton by two.

With about two minutes remaining in the period, attackman Rob Grimm tried to flick the ball in from the goalie's backside while standing close to the crease, but Kraig Heston made an easy save on Grimm's soft shot.

That was the best scoring chance for UMBC, which hasn't shown the aggressiveness it did in scoring six times during the second quarter. Instead, the Retrievers have been content to pass the ball around inside the box, resulting in turnovers, but not points scored. UMBC 7, Binghamton 5.

(UPDATE 1:28 p.m.) A low shot from UMBC attack Rob Grimm hit the post with just over four minutes to play, and the Retrievers have yet to score in this quarter, though they have posession with 2:56 remaining.

UMBC has turned the ball over five times in this quarter alone, and 10 times total in the game. But Binghamton has been even worse, turning the ball over 12 times this afternoon. UMBC 7, Binghamton 5.

(UPDATE 1:21 p.m.) There have already been five turnovers between the two teams in this half, and the latest has led to a Binghamton goal with 8:41 remaining in the third quarter.

UMBC goalkeeper Brian McCullough turned the ball over and the ground ball was picked up by the Bearcats' Ryan Button. Button passed to Brandon Planck, who scored to bring Binghamton within two goals.

A patient possession to start the third quarter in which the Retrievers were issued a stall warning ended when Zach Linkous' pass soared high over the head of its intended recipient. UMBC 7, Binghamton 5.

(UPDATE 12:59 p.m.) With five seconds remaining in the first half, UMBC coach Don Zimmerman called a time out to set up a play with the Retrievers having one opportunity to add another score before halftime.

But a quick pass on a drive to the goal could not be handled, and the ball rolled harmlessly across the turf as time expired.

Binghamton has outshot UMBC 17-13 in this first half, but the Retrievers have made their attempts count: 9 of UMBC's 13 shots were on goal, while only 6 of the Bearcats' 17 shots were on goal. UMBC 7, Binghamton 4.

(UPDATE 12:54 p.m.) Binghamton's Brandon Planck scored with 9:47 remaining in the quarter, but not until after UMBC added two more goals, back-to-back scores by attackman Scott Jones.

A physical, ball-bobbling sequence led to Jones' second score.

Struggling to clear the ball, and losing possession twice after advancing past midfield, the Retrievers' Greg Korvin finally held the ball long enough to get a pass off to Jones, who was alone on the wing.

Jones picked up a defender, but drove past him straight to the goal and scored to give UMBC a 7-2 lead.

After another Binghamton score with 3:52 remaining in the quarter, the Retrievers still lead. UMBC 7, Binghamton 4.

(UPDATE 12:45 p.m.) UMBC has opened up a three-goal lead over Binghamton behind Dave Brown's second three-goal game this season.

Brown's third score developed after Joe Lustgarten took position behind the goal and found Brown streaking through a seam, having lost his defender in front of the goal.

Brown quickly caught-and-shot, scoring on a high ball past Bearcats goalie Kraig Heston.

Dave Brown scored his second goal of the game with 9:38 remaining in the second quarter, then giving the Retrievers a 4-2 lead. UMBC 5, Binghamton 2.

(UPDATE 12:39 p.m.) After Binghamton took the lead with 13:32 remaining in the second quarter, UMBC has responded with two goals in less than a minute to take its first lead of the game, 3-2.

The final score in the sequence came from the stick of Neill Lewnes with 11:35 remaining in the quarter. Lewnes received an assist on the play from Rob Grimm.

UMBC's Dave Brown scored the Retrievers' second goal.

Unassisted with 13:32 remaining, Bearcats midfielder David Raleigh drove strong from the right and released a strong, low shot that bounded into the goal to give Binghamton a short-lived 2-1 lead.

Quick, opportune scoring was a hallmark of the Retrievers' win Wednesday night over Towson. Through parts of this first half, it would appear some of that activity from Wednesday has carried over into Saturday afternoon. UMBC 3, Binghamton 2.

(UPDATE 12:30 p.m.) With about a minute remaining in the first quarter, Binghamton's Matt Moynihan could not control a pass he received at midfield. The ball bounced off Moynihan for a Bearcats turnover.

But UMBC could not take advantage of the extra possession, as Zach Linkous' shot was blocked.

The Retrievers still have not won a face-off (0-for-3), but other stats are fairly even through the game's first 15 minutes. UMBC 1, Binghamton 1.

(UPDATE 12:22 p.m.) With UMBC playing man-up after an illegal body check penalty against Binghamton's Michael Antinozzi, Zach Linkous knotted things up off a Joe Lustgarten assist with 6:04 remaining in the first quarter.

The Retrievers have been fortunate to hold the Bearcats to only one score; Binghamton has won all three face-offs in this quarter, but have turned the ball over twice and have struggled to put good shots on goal. UMBC 1, Binghamton 1.

(UPDATE 12:10 p.m.) Binghamton has struck first with 11:53 remaining in the first quarter, following Bearcats goalkeeper Kraig Heston's save of Zach Linkous' shot.

Binghamton cleared the ball and Ben Waldron found Matt Springer, who had a straight-on look at the UMBC goal before unloading a shot that got past Retrievers goalie Brian McCullough. Binghamton 1, UMBC 0.

(11:45 a.m.) Coming off a surprising 10-9 win over Towson Wednesday, the UMBC men's lacrosse team (3-5, 0-1 America East Conference) plays Binghamton today at UMBC Stadium.

The Bearcats (5-5, 1-0) boast a strong defense led by sophomore goalkeeper Kraig Heston, who has the ninth-lowest goals against average in the nation (7.31 per game).

The Retrievers, the last-place team in the America East, played perhaps their finest game of the season earlier this week against the Tigers, who upset No. 13 Stony Brook earlier this season.

Attackman Rob Grimm, who wasn't in the starting line up Wednesday night and isn't this afternoon either, responded to coming off the bench with a five point (three goals, two assists) game.

The opening face-off is scheduled for noon.