UMBC Athletics' Week in Review (Week of 9/10-9/16)

The UMBC volleyball team had a solid 3-1 week, defeating St. Francis (Pa.) in five sets on Sept. 11 before taking two of three at the Pirate Invitational at East Carolina. The Retrievers (7-10) defeated host ECU and Coastal Carolina in four sets each before a four-set loss to Marshall ended the team’s winning streak at four.

Freshman Sherelle Walker, the only Retriever in double figures against Marshall, finished the weekend with 40 kills in the three contests after registering 15 winners against East Carolina in the opener and six against Coastal Carolina Saturday morning. Walker leads the team with 140 kills through 17 matches, while Catonsville native Hannah Schmidt (Mount de Sales) is second on the squad in both kills (119) and digs (127).

The team opens America East Conference play on Friday at Binghamton.

The women’s soccer team and its defense held strong, including a pair of critical saves from senior goalkeeper Lauren Kadet in the first of two overtimes to help the Retrievers to a scoreless tie against VCU in their non-conference season finale at Sports Backers Stadium on Friday night. Kadet finished the night with six saves.

"I am so proud of the entire team effort tonight," head coach and Catonsville resident Leslie Wray said. "VCU has some really special players and we were happy to keep them scoreless. We stayed consistent in the back and our midfielders came up big defensively. Now we can take a little time off before we prepare for conference play."

UMBC takes a week off before beginning America East action on Sunday, Sept. 23 at the University of New Hampshire.

The men’s soccer team had two tough road challenges this week, falling at No. 3 Maryland, 3-1 and dropping a 2-1 decision at undefeated (6-0-0) George Mason. Junior midfielder Kadeem Dacres tied the game at College Park at 1-1 with a goal in the 62nd minute, but the Terrapins scored twice late in the game to hold off the feisty Retrievers.  

UMBC will take on local rival Loyola on Wed., Sept. 19. The start time at Retriever Soccer Park is set for 7:00 p.m.

The UMBC men’s lacrosse team will open its 2012 fall competition schedule on Thurs. Sept. 20 when they welcome Keio University of Japan for the fifth time in the past 11 years. The time for the scrimmage at UMBC Stadium is 4:30 p.m.

Under head coach Don Zimmerman, UMBC has hosted Keio University in fall competition in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. The Retrievers travelled to Japan in the summers of 2005 and 2009 to compete in the International Friendship Games and are planning a return visit in the summer of 2013.