UMBC Sports Blog

Michelle Kurowski is definitely something special. She’s only a freshman and already one of the best players on the team. She’s currently the second leading scorer (13.7ppg), most of all freshman in the American East, with 19 games scoring in double-figures while grabbing 4.7rpg. She definitely had one of her best games of her young career with he first career double-double (15 points and 13 rebounds) but it just wasn’t enough for the win.

Carlee Cassidy was the only other retriever in double-figures as she also scored 15 in a surprise off the bench performance. Chrissy Robinson and Katie Brooks both started in place of Carlee Cassidy and Meghan Colabella, but only combined for five points. While Brooks has been a solid option all year she’s shown flashes of brilliance but has been fairly in consistent this season, then again, she is only a freshman and it is to be expected.

Outside of Kurowski and Cassidy’s 30 points, six retrievers combined for 20 points (that’s just 3.3 points per player).

This has been the story all year on the road. But as I’ve preached all year long, it’s to be expected with such a young team. Just wait until next year when everybody has another off season to work on the first time used offense. Anytime you have a young team road games are going to be a struggle regardless of talent. While I don’t think the women’s team is as bad as their record, they do have things to work on, but have plenty of time to do so.

UMBC was playing far from their best lacrosse in the first three quarters against Colgate. Even though the score was tied at seven at the start of the final period Colgate was making the retrievers work hard. Good defense kept UMBC in the game for a chance to have a 6-2 rout in the fourth quarter for the win as Jeremy Blevins recorded 13 saves in the game and the defense caused bad shots and offensive miscues for the raiders.

“Really it was just a team effort. We just dug down and Jeremy Blevins making huge saves makes it a lot easier,” said Brian Schneider.

Brandon Corp of the raiders was the key to shutting down Colgate’s offense. He was named a pre-season all-American as well as a player on the Tewaarrton (top men lacrosse player in the country) watch list. Coming into the game Corp scored 10 goals with four assists and did not slow down against UMBC as he recorded three goals with three assists. But once the defense shut him down in the fourth quarter Colgate managed just two goals and turned the ball over five times.

Until UMBC shut down Corp in the fourth neither team enjoyed more than a one goal lead, but with 8:12 left Jamie Kimbles scored in the midst of a four goal run to give a two goal lead, forcing Colgate to double every retriever with the ball, and use the goalie out of the crease to help, leaving the net open often. Kyle Wimer capitalized on one of those opportunities with the goal keeper away from the goal with a 35-yard blast at a wide open net.

“In practice we talked about if the goalie is out we just look up and I looked up at the goal and it just so happened that it was open so I took the shot,” he said.

Scoring was even throughout, seven retrievers scored a goal, lead by Alex Hopmann and Chris Jones each recording hat tricks. But once again the man on the offense was Wimer who scored two goals with three assists for a team high five points.

Last season Wimer and Hopmann combined for 32 goals but in just three games they have already recorded over half that total, with now 17, as they are the teams leading goal scorers. But overall the offense is much more even. Eleven retrievers have scored a goal so far with five players scoring five of more in just the first three games.

“We lost a great player in Terry Kimener and it’s not about one guy filling his void, it’s about the whole offense filling his void and I think that’s the best part about our team right now; we’re all contributing at an even level,” Hopmann said.

That depth of the retrievers has really been the key in the last two games where UMBC got off to bad starts. By having such quality depth the starters can stay fresh and when the team needs them in the fourth quarter, like against Colgate, they have an advantage over often tired opponents.

But those bad starts is starting to worry Coach Don Zimmerman, “We didn’t really come together and play our game until the fourth period and then we played really well, and sooner or later that is going to come back and bite you in the rear end.”

In this last game against Colgate and their game against Rutgers UMBC has struggled early, which can be attributed partly to face-offs. It’s been four quarters that UMBC has struggles in and the face-off unit has gone just 8-22 (36.2%). But once again, the defense has kept the team in the game on both occasions.

“You want to start out on offense obviously but starting out on defense you have to shut the door and try and limit their opportunities the best you can,” Schneider said.

UMBC has found ways to overcome their slow starts and have reached a 3-0 record on the season, making them the only undefeated Division I lacrosse team in the state of Maryland, and with that they will most likely move up in the coaches pole from their now No. 9 ranking.

“No matter what the circumstances are, if we are down by nine or up by 10 we want to keep fighting and keep playing and finish strong, and that’s what we did,” said Hopmann. “That’s the most important part, finishing strong because then you have that positive going into the next game.”

It’s good to have that positive going into the next game for UMBC, especially when their next game is against now No. 3 Johns Hopkins, who is coming off a 14-8 loss against Princeton. UMBC has never beaten Hopkins but have the advantage of playing them at UMBC stadium.

“They’re a good ball club,” Zimmerman said. “We’ve never beaten then and we’re playing them at home and only have two days to prepare which is probably a blessing so the coaches can’t get too wrapped up in strategy and just have our guys be ready to come back in two days and just have themselves physically and mentally prepared to go out and play their game.”

Probable Starters:

UMBC (14-13, 6-8):
F- Meghan Colabella (7.0ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.4spg)
F- Erin Brown (9.8ppg, 5.7rpg, .475FG%)
G- Carlee Cassidy (21.4ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.0apg)
G- Michelle Kurowski (13.1ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.5spg)
G- Michele Brokans (1.4ppg, 3.8apg, 3.5rpg)

Key Reserves:
G- Katie Brooks (8.6ppg, 3.1rpg, 2.1apg)
C- Tope Obajolu (3.9ppg, 3.4rpg, .362FG%)

Binghamton (11-15, 6-7):
F- Viivee-Cai Rebane (8.0ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.6spg)
F- Laura Franceski (8.3ppg, 5.5rpg, 3.2bpg)
G- Andrea Holmes (10.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.8apg)
G- Erica Carter- (10.3ppg, 2.9rpg, .350FG%)
G- Muffy Sadler (6.1ppg, 2.4rpg, 1.6apg)

Key Reserves:
G- Darryll Peterson (6.2ppg, 5.0rpg, .396FG%)
G- Jackie Ward (5.8ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.3apg)

Sadly, I think UMBC has to worry about this game. They have struggled on the road terribly all year and Binghamton isn’t a horrible team. UMBC won last time the two team mett, but that was in the RAC. Erin Brown, Carlee Cassidy, and Michelle Kurowski dominated in that game but right now Cassidy is in a slump and has been shut down two of her last three games. The freshman: Brown, Kurowski, and Katie Brooks, have been the only consistent threats the past few games. If UMBC wants to win, they have to be consistent and not play like the young team they have been playing like on the road.

Probable Starters:

UMBC (2-0):
A- Ryan Smith (2 goals, 1 assist, 2 ground balls)
A- Chris Jones (2 goals, 0 assists, 4 ground balls)
A- Matt Latham (4 goals, 1 assist, 3 ground balls)
M- Kyle Wimer (8 goals, 1 assist, 8 ground balls)
M- Peet Poillon (5 goals, 5 assists, 2 ground balls)
M- Alex Hopmann (4 goals, 1 assist, 1 ground ball)
D- Steve Settembrino (2 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers)
D- Matt Kresse (1 ground ball, 0 caused turnovers)
D- Brian Schneider (2 ground balls, 0 caused turnovers)
GK- Jeremy Blevins (25 saves, 61.0%)
FO- Justin Radebaugh (7-10, 41.2%)

Key Reserves
M- Rob Grimm (1 goal, 4 assists, 3 ground balls)
M- Jamie Kimbles (2 goals, 0 assists, 0 ground balls)
M- Maxx Davis (1 goal, 0 assists, 1 ground ball)
M- Mike Camardo (0 goals, 0 assists, 6 ground balls)
D- Kevin Goedeke (1 ground ball, 0 caused turnovers)

Colgate (1-2)
A- Zack Craumer (1 goal, 0 assists, 3 ground balls)
A- Brandon Corp (10 goals, 4 assists, 8 ground balls)
A- Kevin Colleluori (9 goals, 3 assists, 12 ground balls)
M- Will Planer (0 goals, 0 assists, 12 ground balls)
M- Greg Perkins (0 goals, 0 assists, 7 ground balls)
M- Jim Carroll (0 goals, 0 assists, 14 ground balls)
D- Andrew Watkins (4 ground balls, 1 caused turnover)
D- Michael Crown (11 ground balls, 1 caused turnover)
D- Colin McDonald (4 ground balls, 0 caused turnovers)
GK- Tim Harrington (37 saves, 54.4%)
FO- Jim Carroll (29-39, 42.6%)

Key Reserves:
M- Nick Monastero (7 goals, 2 assists, 2 goals)
M- Chris Zielinski (2 goals, 3 assists, 2 ground balls)
M- Rob Basco (2 goals, 1 assist, 3 ground balls)
M- Ian Murphy (1 goal, 3 assists, 2 ground balls)

Colgate is a VERY good 1-2 team. Their two losses were to North Carolina and Duke with their win against tournament team Canisius. As good as UMBC is Brandon Corp of the Red Raiders very well may be the best player on the field. He’s just a dominate scorer and has a great feel for the game. And as you can see, Colgate has a very good trio of scorers on their team. Corp, Kevin Colleluori, and Nick Monastero are going to keep the defense and Jeremy Blevins working the entire game, and any miscue UMBC will pay. While UMBC doesn’t have as many prolific scorers as Colgate, they have more scorers. At this point Kyle Wimer is the only consistent scoring threat but anybody on the attack and midfield can add goals to the total. The most intriguing part of the game for UMBC will be face-offs. Once again they are playing a team that isn’t great at face-offs either, but it still doesn’t mean the job isn’t going to be battled over. Right now it looks to be out of J.D. Harkey and Justin Radebaugh. Personally I would push Radebaugh if I were Don Zimmerman just because he’s going to be around a lot longer and has a higher ceiling and more time to get better.

The officiating was absolutely terrible in this game, enough so that even the Binghamton radio commentators had to question it. Every time Binghamton had the ball it seemed like they were fouled while UMBC never was. UMBC was in serious danger of having to forfeit the game with Gilliam in serious trouble the entire game, and being down a man.

But UMBC could have done much more to win the game and not put themselves in a position for the refs to decide the game. First, shooting 28.6% in a half almost guarantees a loss for anybody. They only shot 35.5% the entire game while Binghamton shot nearly 8% higher. Five Bearcats scored in double figures while only Darryl Proctor (18 points 14 rebounds) and Jay Greene (10 points) did for UMBC. Good news for Proctor is he is now the leading scorer in the conference, though he has a game left and Rivera is done.

Ok now retriever fans, if you haven’t been to a game yet this year (first off shame on you), make Sunday be the game, and get their early. It’s senior day and two of the best retrievers ever (Greene and Proctor) as well as Uwem Eshietedoho (who was out all year with an injury) will be honored before the game. The game also determines if UMBC plays Stony Brook or Boston U in the first game of the conference tournament. Battling Albany for the 5th seed a win gives them Stony Brook and a loss give them Boston U, so we really need a win here.

Ouch! If this is the game to show how good we are the team has to worry. I’m just hoping that they had a bad day or Loyola had a great day, either way UMBC lost 21-6 which says a lot. First to scoring- Amanda Pappas lead the team with two goals while four other retrievers added one goal, but 12 greyhounds scored with five scoring multiple goals. It just wasn’t a good game for the defense. Katie Quick had 8 saves but the defense allowed Loyola to shoot at will as she allowed 14 goals. Her performance is going to look bad because the goals allowed but she didn’t play the entire game and was on pace for a very respectable 12 saves. This one goes on the field players. They just didn’t hold together and let Loyola have the ball so much it made it impossible for Quick to do well in goal.

The Greyhounds got out to a 7-0 lead and had a 9-0 run in the middle of the second half and anytime that happens your chances of winning are < 1%. Maybe they can show something against Towson, because they really need to.

This is actually pretty disappointing. I was sure that UMBC was cound to put together a little end of the season streak. They went 2-1 in their last three with the loss being to a great Hartford team. Going into Albany, who only had three wins, I though we could get another road win but you have to give Albany all the credit in the world. You don’t lose much when you score 80 points especially when you shoot over 45%. but Albany shot great all night. They carried a ten point lead into half time after shooting 62.5% in the first half and even though they shot far from as good as they shot in the first half they still shot 52.4%, 58.5% for the game. There just isn’t too much a team can do to stop that, especially when one player on the opposing team, in this game Britney McGee, shoots 7-8 from behind the arc.

Albany did a good job shutting down Carlee Cassidy, which is probably what caused the loss. She only scored 4 points and forced the scoring on mainly the three freshman, Erin Brown, Michelle Kurowski, and Katie Brooks. They all had good nights (Kurowski- 25 points, Brooks- 15 points, Brown- 9 points 6 rebounds) Meghan Colabella also had a very good game with 6 points and sic rebounds. She is probably the most underrated player on the team. She’s not going to lead the team in scoring but she’s so balanced and is a rebounding machine which makes her great. She very well may be the overall best player on the team (mostly because other than scoring Cassidy isn’t too much of a threat as you can see by the four point, two assist, 0 rebound night in against the Great Danes.

But like I said, no matter how many retrievers had good games like those four did (and Chrissy Robinson who had eight points and four rebounds, and Michele Brokans with six points, seven assists, and five rebounds) you can’t beat a team that shoots that well in a game, sometimes you can play great defense but they just get shots to fall.

Probable Starters:

UMBC (12-15, 6-8):
F- Darryl Proctor (20.3ppg, 8.5rpg, .482FG%)
F- Brett Burrier (2.0ppg, 1.4rpg, 0.3apg)
G- Chauncey Gilliam (10.8ppg, 4.6rpg, .541FG%)
G- Matt Spadafora (8.6ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.5apg)
G- Jay Greene (13.0ppg, 6.3apg, 3.2rpg)

Key Reserves:
F- Richard Flemming (7.1ppg, 4.6rpg, .430FG%)

Binghamton (19-8, 12-3):
C- Kyrie Sutton (1.7ppg,2.9rpg, .364FG%)
F- Reggie Fuller (10.0ppg, 6.6rpg, .565FG%)
G- D.J. Rivera (20.4ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.9spg)
G- Malik Alvin (10.9ppg, 4.1apg, 3.0rpg)
G- Tiki Mayben (10.8ppg, 4.6apg, 3.9rpg)

Key Reserves:
G- Chretien Lukusa (4.4ppg, 3.4rpg, .398FG%)
G- Branden Herbert (3.3ppg, 1.5rpg, .365FG%)

If Binghamton wins this game then they are the top seed, and all teams want to play spoiler. Last time the two teams meet UMBC came back from big deficit to get a huge win, making UMBC the only team that Binghamton has not beaten. Last time Justin Fry may have been the reason for the win. His interior defense shut down everything in the paint forcing all of Binghamton’s shots to come from behind the arc. While they hit all those shots in the first half they would not fall in the second half. Even without Fry the best chance of winning is doing exactly what they did last time. Go man-to-man and try to shut down the inside game because in the first half when they went zone they were getting destroyed.

Last time Fry defender Kyrie Sutton, this time Brett Burrier/ Jake Wasco/ Richard Flemming have to take on that job. Wasco is probably the best defender but expect Flemming to get the most time. Flemming is a solid defender, he’s very long and athletic and can hang with anybody in the conference on defense. The only worry about Flemming is his focus and rebounding. He came in know for his rebounding ability but just hasn’t been aggressive enough to be a big factor on the boards.

Even though it’s a huge disadvantage Chauncey Gilliam (who’s defense has been improving) has to hang in an guard Reggie Fuller. Take fuller out and their inside scoring has taken a huge hit. Size wise the two are similar but Gilliam is the weak spot on the teams defense and Fuller is a good scorer. Though the game does not completely rely on it Gilliam needs to be confident and play physical defense.

D.J. Rivera and Darryl Proctor, the two top candidates for player of the year going head-to-head. It shall be interesting to see who wins this battle as both are far and away the best players on the team. Proctor is a much better defender and rebounder though which leads many to believe UMBC has the advantage. Rivera had a monster game last time but his points were mostly off rare three pointers.

Matt Spadafora is a great job defending Tiki Mayben last time. The stats don’t show it because Mayben had a good scoring night but he made him work. He had a hand in his face every shot and that’s all you can ask for. Spadafora has had problems on offense lately and needs to get back to form for UMBC to be a strong team again but as now a fourth scorer we don’t need a double digit scoring night from him every time, just his lock-down defense.

Finally that once again leaves point guard on point guard. Jay Greene and Malik Alvin had an interesting match up last time. The roles switched. Alvin had a non-factor scoring but Greene went off (which he’s obviously done a lot this season. I expect Greene to have a good scoring night again, but he has to stick to his roots and run the floor as effectively as he has been doing.

UMBC is a very interesting team this year. They are obviously going as far as Proctor and Greene take them but on any given night Gilliam, Spadafora, or Flemming can step up and score. The only problem is it hasn’t happened at the same time as often as we’d like. Gilliam has been very consistent the last few weeks and is making a case for rookie of the year, though he probably won’t get it. He’s scoring, rebounding, and playing much improved defense. Spadafora has far from meet his expectations coming into the season, as has Flemming, but both can be big threats if teams don’t watch out. If UMBC wants to win this game they need so hope somebody will step up for Fry’s defense inside, and hope that at least three players (at this poitn Proctor is the only guarantee) gets into double digit scoring.

Probable Starters:

UMBC (14-12, 6-7):
F- Meghan Colabella (7.0ppg, 6.7rpg, 1.4spg)
F- Erin Brown (9.8ppg, 5.7rpg, .475FG%)
G- Carlee Cassidy (21.4ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.0apg)
G- Michelle Kurowski (13.3ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.5spg)
G- Michele Brokans (1.4ppg, 3.8 apg, 3.5rpg)

Key Reserves:
G- Katie Brooks (8.6ppg, 3.1rpg, 2.1apg)
C- Tope Obajolu (3.9ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.0bpg)

Albany (3-22, 1-11)
F- Tiffanie Johnson (9.7ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.2apg)
F- Tabitha Makopondo (4.7ppg, 3.8rpg, .461FG%)
F- Kim Clements (2.6ppg, 2.6rpg, 0.5spg)
G- Janea Aiken (13.2ppg, 2.9rpg, 2.1apg)
G- Britney McGee (10.1ppg, 3.3rpg, 3.0apg)

Key Reserves
G- Charity Iromuanya (4.5ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.1apg)

The only possible reason I could see a UMBC loss if because it’s on the road, otherwise Albany is outmatched big time in this game. The Great Danes are going to want to get an upset late in the year but the fact of the matter is they only have three wins this season and have never really been a great team. But as you all know I rule nothing out. UMBC has just been terrible on the road this yea rand they are very very very inexperienced, mostly because they are the youngest team in the conference. If Albany can play a tad of a pressure defense is may work and shut down UMBC’s offense, but I don’t expect it.

Probable Starters:

UMBC (1-1):
A- Emily Coady (2 goals, 4 assists, 2 ground balls)
A- Abbey Swift (3 goals, 1 assist, 1 ground ball)
M- Amanda Pappas (3 goals, 0 assists, 0 ground balls)
M- Kara Dorr (6 goals, 1 assist, 3 ground balls)
M- Bria Phillips (4 goals, 0 assists, 2 ground balls)
M- Amanda Gable (2 goals, 2 assists, 3 ground balls)
M/D- Meagan Linkous (3 goals, 0 assists, 4 ground balls, 3 caused turnovers)
D/M- Sarah Willis (0 goals, 1 assist, 1 ground ball, 2 caused turnovers)
D- C.J. Durham (3 ground balls, 1 caused turnover)
D- Erika Welck (0 ground balls, 1 caused turnover)
D- Tasha Klares (4 ground balls, 3 caused turnovers)
GK- Kate Quick (12 saves)

Key Reserves:
A- Erika Braerman (1 goal, 1 assists, 0 ground balls)
M- Ashley Stodter (1 goal, 1 assist, 2 ground balls)

Loyola (1-1)
A- Elizabeth Weber (3 goals, 0 assists, 1 ground ball)
A- Meg Taylor (1 goal, 0 assists, 0 ground balls)
M- Grace Gavin (6 goals, 1 assist, 7 ground balls)
M- Mary Clare Taylor (1 goal, 1 assist, 3 ground balls)
M- Abby Rehfuss (4 goals, 1 assist, 2 ground balls)
M- Cara Filippelli (0 goals, 1 assist, 5 ground balls, 4 caused turnovers)
M- Mary Heneberry (0 goals, 0 assists, 4 ground balls, 3 caused turnovers)
D- Kaitlyn Fuller (1 ground ball, 1 caused turnover)
D- Ana Heneberry (4 ground balls, 7 caused turnover)
D- Kellye Gallagher (3 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers)
D- Tara Gardner (4 ground balls, 1 caused turnover)
GK- Kerry Stoothoff (6 saves)

Key Reserves:
A- Colleen O’Keefe (2 goals, 4 assists, 2 ground balls)
M- Emily Gibson (4 goals, 1 assist, 7 ground balls)

This is the true test to see how good the women’s lacrosse team actually is. They’ve have a big win against a very thin and for that matter bad Howard team, and a big loss against a very good nationally ranked Vanderbilt team. Loyola is very similar to UMBC style and ability wise. Last year the two teams meet and UMBC got the win 11-10. This season not only will they find out how good they are but they will see how they compare to other conference opponents as the greyhounds beat Stony Brook 15-7 last week.