Men's Soccer: UMBC Blanks Maine, 3-0

Baltimore, Md.—UMBC’s Kevin Gnatiko (Montgomery Village, Md./Watkins
Mill) and Andrew Gillis (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) each scored in the
first 7:01 of the contest as the Retrievers blanked visiting Maine, 3-0
in America East Conference men’s soccer action.

UMBC has won three of its last four games and improved to 6-4-2 overall
and 2-1-0 in league play, while Maine is winless in its last four and
dropped to 2-9-1, 0-2-1.

At the 3:04 mark, senior midfielder Bryan Moffa (Baltimore, Md./Eastern
Tech) sent Gnatiko in down the right wing. The junior midfielder cut
towards the goal and slid the ball past Black Bear netminder Nemanja
Kostic and just inside the left post from a sharp angle at the six-yard
line. Then, at 7:01, the Retrievers put together a picture-perfect
passing play, as freshman forward B.J. Quigley (Baltimore,
Md./Archbishop Curley) angled a pass from the midfield stripe to junior
midfielder Shondell Busby (Toronto, Ont.). Busby one-touched a pass to a
streaking Gillis, who got in behind the left side of the Maine defense
and beat Kostic inside the far right post.

It was Gillis’ team-leading fifth goal of the season.

The Retrievers finalized the scoring at the 38:00-minute mark, when
freshman midfielder Levi Houapeu (Germantown, Md./Watkins Mill) drove
the ball down the center of the field and slotted a ball to classmate
Sean Rothe (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley). Rothe tucked the ball in
from nearly the exact same spot as Gillis did for the his first career goal.

The Retrievers scored on three of four first half shots. A re-energized
Maine team outshot UMBC, 9-5 in the second half (11-9 for the game) but
could not best Retriever netminder Steve King (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop
Curley). King made four saves and posted his seventh shutout of the season.

Kostic made three saves in going the route for Maine. Junior forward
Dimitri Anastasiou led all players with four shots.

UMBC has now defeated Maine four straight times and holds a 4-1 series
advantage. The Retrievers are now 12-2-4 at home vs. America East
Conference foes. UMBC will travel to Burlington, Vt. to take on Vermont
on Wednesday before returning home for the Homecoming contest vs. Albany
on Saturday, Oct. 20.

UMBC 3, Maine 0

Scoring: UM-Kevin Gnatiko (Bryan Moffa) 4’; UM-Andrew Gillis (Shondell
Busby, B.J. Quigley) 8’; UM-Sean Rothe (Levi Houapeu) 38’. Saves:
M-Nemanja Kostic 3 (3ga, 90 min.); UM-Steve King 4 (0ga, 90 min.) Shots:
M-11, UM-9. Corners: M-4, UM-1. Fouls: M-10, UM-11. Offsides: M-0, UM-2.
Att: 347.