UMBC qualifies for America East Championships with draw

Baltimore, Md.—The UMBC men’s soccer team earned a spot in the America East Conference Championships as the Retrievers battled visiting New Hampshire to a 1-1 double overtime tie before 606 fans at UMBC Soccer Stadium.

The Retrievers complete the regular season at 8-6-4 overall and 3-3-2 (11 points) in the America East Conference, while UNH, which also gained a playoff berth is at 5-4-8 overall and 2-1-5 in the conference  (11 points).

The seedings will not be announced until Hartford and Albany complete play on Sunday. If the visiting Hawks win, UMBC will be the No. 5 seed at play at No. 4 seeded Boston University on Saturday, Nov. 10. Should Albany prevail, UMBC would get a home game as the No. 4 seed and host Albany on Saturday. If the two teams tie, the Retrievers would be the No. 5 seed and play at No. 4 Hartford.

After a scoreless first half, the Retrievers broke on top just 1:38 into the second half. Freshman midfielder Levi Houapeu (Germantown, Md./Watkins Mill) stole a ball from a Wildcat defender and broke in alone from 40 yards out. He placed his third goal of the season past a charging UNH netminder Mike Jenne and into the lower right corner of the net.

The Retrievers were a perfect 7-0 this season when scoring the game’s first goal heading into today’s contest, but the desperate Wildcats ended that streak. In the 70^th minute, UNH senior midfielder Adam Marcellus recovered a loose ball on the left side and broke in past the UMBC defense. His shot from ten yards out beat UMBC junior netminder Steve King (Baltimore,Md./Archbishop Curley) and rolled into the net just inside the far right post.

Both teams continued to attack, but neither side got a high quality chance over the final 40 minutes. Both goalkeepers were active, as Jenne made eight saves and King corralled seven.

Notes: UMBC has now earned spots in the America East Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007… the Retrievers were 3-0-1 vs. America East competition at home this season and are 14-2-5 in five years of league play… today was the final regular season home match for seniors Philippe Bissohong (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook), Bryan Moffa (Baltimore, Md./Eastern Tech) and Marco Valent (Umag, Croatia).


UMBC 1, UNH 1, 2ot

Scoring: UM-Levi Houapeu 47’; UNH-Adam Marcellus 70’.
Saves: UNH-Mike Jenne 8 (1ga, 110 min.), UMBC-Steve King 7 (1ga, 110 min.). Shots: UNH-13, UMBC-11. Corners: UNH-6, UMBC-2. Fouls: UNH-14, UMBC-12. Offsides: UNH-5, UMBC-1. Att: 606