UMBC Sports Blog

Probable Starters:

UMBC (0-0)
C- Topé Obajolu (3.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.8 bpg)
PF- Meghan Colabella (6.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, .410 FG%)
3 Guard- Carlee Cassidy (20.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, .358 FG%)
SG- Michelle Kurowski (13.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.6 spg)
PG- Katie Brooks (9.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.1 apg)

Key Reserves:
C- Chrissy Robinson (0.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg), .286 FG%)
PF- Kim Browning (Freshman)
SF- Erin Brown (9.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, .451 FG%)
PG- Michele Brokans (1.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.7 spg)

#14 Virginia (0-0)
C- Simone Egwu (Freshman)
PF- Chelsea Shine (5.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, .435 FG%)
SF- Telia McCall (Freshman)
SG- Monica Wright (20.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.8 spg, .420 FG%)
PG- Ariana Moorer (7.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, .435 FG%)

Key Reseves:
PF- Erinn Thompson (Freshman)
SG- Whitney Edwards (4.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, .372 FG%)
PG- Paulisha Kellum (Redshirt)
PG- China Crosby (Freshman)

This is quite a matchup for the women’s basketball team in an opener. I don’t know what’s more impressive: that they are opening with Virginia, or that they got Virginia at home. Either way Virginia is loaded with talent. Monica Wright is one of the best players in the nation and with Paulina Kellum and Ariana Moorer being healthy she will be back into her shooting guard position.

But as for UMBC, yes the starting lineup should be a little different. Topé is the most athletics person on the team and should get the start. Colabella is a natural power forwards and can go their because Erin Brown has not been practicing with an injury. Katie Brooks should move into the point guard spot because not only can she do everything Brokans does and score, but Brokans has been injured and may not even play in the game.

It’s a definite challenge that the team will more than likely lose, but still, it is no reason not to go and support them. Anything can happen, pack the RAC, go and cheer for them.

Sandra Vacarino scored four of the team's 14 goals and was one of five players to start every game this year.

It was not quite the storybook ending for the women’s soccer team this season. This year was a rough campaign. They finish the year 2-14-1 and 1-7-0 in conference play. They were outscored by opponents 51-14, recorded a goal in only six games, and were shutout 11 times this year, and to end the season they loses 5-0 to finish in last place in the America East.

The team was not really expected to do well this season after losing a lot of players in the off season, but to only score 14 goals in a season is quite disappointing.

Against Boston University the team was just outmatched and did not even get off a shot while the Terriers rallied off 31.

Mo Van Vlerah recorded three saves and gave up three goals in the first half. With an understanding that the game was already over Alyssa Radu switched goalies at halftime to give Jaclyn Drummond some work this season and she recorded six saves and gave up two goals in the second half.

While the team loses five seniors, LaShawna Epps, JoAnne Jackson, Katie McKay, Naomi Opaleye, and Arielle Tagger, next year they will return a very talented senior class and all of their starters in hopes to make the conference tournament for the first time since the 2005 season.

On senior day the women’s soccer team hoped to send LaShawna Epps, JoAnne Jackson, Katie McKay, Naomi Opaleye, and Arielle Tagger out in style but they were just edged out by New hampshire in the final minutes and lost, 3-2.

In the game junior Sandra Vacarino scored two goals. First she redirected a free kick from Christine Sadowski in the eighth minute to give UMBC a 1-0 lead.

But New Hampshire got the team back by half time. Monique Lamotte stole the ball from the defense and got it past Mo Van Vlerah’s head, who recorded four saves in the game.

Then in the 49th minute Shaunna Kaplan made a long run down the left side and shot the ball tot he far post and got it in for the lead.

UMBC would not back down though. Vacarino scored her second goal and fourth of the season off a cross from Katie Gitlin in the 53rd minute.

While the defense played well to keep New Hampshire at Bay, Morgan Keefe headed in a free kick from Meg Wiley in the 83rd minute, which UMBC could not comeback from.

With the loss UMBC drops to 1-6-0 in the conference and eliminating them from the America East conference tournament. Ad None of the bottom three teams can get enough points to knock out New Hampshire, meaning the field of six is set.

Right now the bottom three teams are Vermont (1-3-2= 5 points), Hartford (1-5-1= 4 points), and UMBC (1-6-0= 3 points) and they still have a chance to finish in seventh place. Again if Hartford loses and UMBC win then Hartford is in last place. Or if Hartford and Vermont tie Hartford would have five points and with a win UMBC would have six points and with a tie UMBC would have five points, but with a head-to-head win over Hartford they would be eighth place.

America East Women’s Soccer Fan’s Choice Player of the Year Ballot

Sophomore Goalkeeper Mo Van Vlerah is one of nine nominees for the America East Women’s Soccer Fans’ Choice Player of the Year. So go vote for her and show your support.

She currently leads the entire America East with 102 saves, topping Stony Brook goalkeeper Marisa Viola by four. She also has a 0.708 save percentage and has kept UMBC in every single game this year.

With the season winding down the women’s soccer team is in a very tough situation and very well may miss the conference tournament again. After dropping a game to Albany the Retrievers came out hoping to steal a road game in Binghamton but instead were shutout and lost 2-0.

Mo Van Vlerah as usual had a great game with 10 saves, but two goals got past her and the offense couldn’t help out and put anything in the net.

In just the third minute Amanda Casares took a shot at the goal but Van Vlerah blocked it, however, Emily Cirillo tapped in the rebound for what proved to be the game winner.

Then in the 58th minute Stefani Knopick headed in a corner kick for a big insurance goal.

UMBC was out shot 26-4 and not one of the four was on goal.

On a wet and rainy day with so much on the line, the women’s soccer team dropped a 1-0 game to Albany at UMBC stadium.

If UMBC would have won the game they would have beeb in great position to make it to the America East tournament, but now with the loss they are in a deep whole and would have to do something big to get into the tournament this year.

In the 18th minute Albany forward Ashley Tirabassi headed in a cross from Katie Grant to the lone goal of the game.

UMBC only recorded one goal (one shot on goal) in the entire game, which came in the first half. Meanwhile, Albany recorded 20 shots, 11 on goal. The lone UMBC shot came from Danielle Kell in the 22nd minute and the goalkeeper didn’t even have to move to move to save it.

Mo Van Vlerah recorded nine saves in the game.

I’m not doing a full preview but today at 3:30 pm in the stadium (game was moved because of the weather) the women’s soccer team will take on Albany in what could wind up being a big moment for them. With a win over Hartford already, if the women’s soccer team beats Albany they will have two conference wins. the reason this is important is because they can basically clinch a conference tournament birth with a win, their first in….don’t even remember how long. For the last few years Albany has been the one team that UMBC has dominated, but that doesn’t mean they will win. Come out and support the team even if it’s raining…the sign of a true fan.

For the first time in her career, goalkeeper Mo Van Vlerah recorded a shutout. All season long she has kept her team in the game and this time the Retrievers had the offense to make use of it. Van Vlerah recorded seven saves, six of which came in the second half.

In the first half there was another career first. Freshman forward Rachel McKee has led the team in shots on goal the entire season but finally got a ball through for her first career goal.

In the 32nd minute Sandra Vacarino found McKee on a pass that split the midfield. McKee then won a one-on-one situation inside the 18-yard box.

Rachel McKee recorded her first career goal against Hartford.

The team is now 2-10-1 and 1-3-0 in conference play, moving them up to a tie for seventh place with New Hampshire while Hartford is in last place at 0-3-1.

***Sorry for this being a day late but between school work and personal reasons I just did not have time to update yesterday, but hey it’s not like I missed an amazing 5-0 win***

Just when I thought the women’s soccer team figured out how to score they proved me wrong again and failed to turn in a single goal for the ninth time this season.

Stony Brook jumped out to a quick lead in the 14th minute when Dominique Adamo got one past Mo Van Vlerah. From then on it was Stony Brooks game. The defense did hold them to just eight shots on goal in the game as apposed to their usual double digit SOG allowed, but the offense obviously couldn’t get going. They only recorded eight shots, just four on goal, both of which were at least doubled by the Seawolves.

While Van Vlerah was keeping the team in every game this season, the last two games have been rough, recording nine saves and giving up 11 goals. With 31 minutes left she was called out of the game and replaced by Jaclyn Drummond, who gave up one goal and record one save in her collegiate debut. But that was more because Alyssa Radu realized, sadly, the offense just wasn’t going to get going, so she saw what she had behind Vlerah who isn’t going to get replaced anytime soon, because right now, she’s without a doubt the best player on the team.

It’s sad to see the women’s soccer team waste goals like they did today. Usually the team has struggled to score goals and that was the reason for losing, but today the offense clicked at racked in five goals, but the defense couldn’t help them out enough as they gave up six for the loss.

Junior Sandra Vacarino recorded the first two goals of the game. In the sixth minute knocked a corner kick into the top right of the goal with the goalie out of position (corner and assist was from Aly Garazek) and in the 23rd minute she blasted a shot from 35 yards out into an empty net.

Aly Garazek had one goal and two assists this season.

But Vermont mounted a comeback, recording three goals in the next four minute. First Gabby Bonfigli received a cross from Carson Laderoute for the score. Then Laderoute split two defenders for the goal, and finally Jess Herbst shot a cross received from Jessica Becker into the lower right corner.

But UMBC tied the game up for the half. Christine Sadowski kicked a backwards ball into the goal off a corner in the 36th minute off a ball from Elyse Bilardo to tie the game 3-3, which lasted until halftime.

After halftime UMBC once again did not take long to get on the board. In the 51st minute Danielle Kell recorded her third goal of the year off a double assist from Megan McDonald and LeAnne Edgar.

But like the last time UMBC had a lead, Vermont mounted a comeback. The Catamounts once again score three straight goals. IN the 53rd minute Heidi Hassler caugh Mo Van Vlerah, who recorded seven saves in the game, off guard to tie the game.

Then Lederoute found Becker for another goal in the 67th minute, and less than one minute later Becker found Herbst for the sixth Catamount goal of the game.

With less than one minute remaining Sarah Purdum beat Vermont’s goalkeeper on a one-on-one situation after a double assist from Vacarino and Kell.

The team is now 1-9-1, 0-2-0 in the America East but it is nice to see they can score goals. They just have to finish and win with them.