Chris De La Rosa made his debut at point guard

There was some very good moments, and there were very bad moments for UMBC. They went into the half with a 42-18 lead but Frostburg State outscored UMBC 41-35 in the second half. But granted, UMBC did not play the starters for long. As expected Robbie Jackson started at center, Chris De La Rosa started at the point, and Matt Spadafora started that the small forward position. The other two starters were freshmen Shawn Grant and Adrian Satchell.

The biggest bright spot was Spadafora. After failing to meet his expectations last season, which was a result of trying to hard and forcing shots, and being hesitant after getting elbowed in the eye, he played very well in the exhibition. He led the team with 17 points with four rebounds, but the importants thing was his shot looked good. He went 5-7 (71.4%) from the field, including 2-4 (50.0%) from three point range, and 5-8 (62.5%) from the foul line. His shot looked well times, clean, and it looks like he can step up and be a big scorer for UMBC in his senior season.

Jackson had a very interesting game. He scored 13 points and had nine rebounds with two blocks, which was to be expected with his size, but his shots game from a few feet out off jumpers, rather than from right under the basket. But his 7-8 performance at the line is a good sign, especially since he’s the center. The ball will get inside ot him, and he’ll get fouled quite often. With a center like that having free throw ability, it’s a big plus.

But Chris De La Rosa was the star of the game. He scored 12 points with six rebounds and had four assists. He went 3-5 from the first and a perfect 6-6 from the line, and he played good defense. While he’s an extremely different style player than Jay Greene, it’s nice to know that UMBC has a solid option at the point running the show. De La Rosa didn’t even try anything from three point range, but that was because he didn’t need to and he just passed the ball around.

When it comes to the only other two returning players. Bakari Smith and Jake Wasco, neither had a decent amount of time to evaluate them, but neither played very well either. Wasco is needed as a defensive forward and he struggled a bit, while Smith needs to use his physically matured body (he’s 26) to his advantage more. They combined for five points and eight rebounds, five of which did come from Wasco in just 12 minutes.

As far as freshman, three shined, one disappointed, and one did not play. Jamar Wertz will be out of action for the start of the season with a leg injury but Satchell and Grant played very well. Satchell scored nine points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Grant scored nine points with three rebounds. Satchell played a great all around game. he went 4-5 from the field including 1-1 from three point range. But his 0-2 performance from the line needs to be improved. Grant however did get the point but needs to pass the ball around more. He took too many bad shots and only went 3-9 from the field and 3-3 from the line. If he passes the ball more and takes better shots, he could be good. But Nick Groce looks like he may be the best of the bunch. He went 3-5 from the field and 2-4 from three point rnage for eight points while getting four assists. When he was in the game the same time as De La Rosa, he was running the point, and his defense was phenomenal. Expect good things from him this season.

The disappointment though was Brian Neller. He had early success with two jumpers, but went 2-8 from the field in the game and 0-4 from three point range, not something a guy recognized as a solid shooter can do.

But you also have to look at the situation. Only three guys played last year, and two of them didn’t even play that much. Overall, I liked what I saw from the team.

After beating Binghamton on their court earlier in the season, the Bearcats took revenge and dominated UMBC in the RAC to end their home season with a loss.

Binghamton won all three sets, 25-18, 25-17, 25-20, and didn’t even let UMBC get close in the end.

Alyssa Lang recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs, but no other Retriever recorded over five kills in the match. Three of them, Ashley Oscars, Iman Kennedy, and Ali Loynachan did record five, but had a combined 10 errors on the day.

Levi Houapeu knocked in a game winner in the 72nd minute of the America East Quarterfinal match in a 2-1 win over Binghamton.

Levi Houapeu recorded his third game winning goal of the season.

Just a week removed from a 4-0 loss to the Bearcats in the season finale, UMBC came out and played much better all around. The defense that previously gave up four goals got Chris Williams back into the lineup after behind out for the final four games with a leg injury, and this time they only gave up two shots on goal, one went in and one was saved.

Chris Williams returned to action after suffering a leg injury against Longwood.

After a deadlocked first half ending at 0-0, freshman midfielder mark Lubetkin scored his first career goal off a pass from Houapeu just 28 seconds into the second period.

Freshman midfielder Mark Lubetkin times his first career goal perfectly, a go ahead goal in the conference tournament.

But Binghamton struck right back 70 seconds later when Jake Keegan scored his seventh goal of the year when he redirected a shot by Adam Whitebead into the back right corner of the goal, the only shot that would get by the defense and freshman goalkeeper Phil Saunders, who only had to make one save in the game.

In the 65th minute UMBC got a big break, which probably cost Binghamton the match. First-team all-conference defender Liam Carson recieved a red card, putting Binghamton down a man for the final 25 minutes of the game.

Seven minutes after that UMBC took advantage with a goal by Houapeu, who shot a ball headed by a defender into the top corner of the goal. With the goal Houapeu recorded the game winner and became the nations leading scorer with 43 points, surprasing teammate Andrew Bulls who has been the top man since week one.

With the second round now set, UMBC will have three days to get ready for a well rested New Hampshire team coming off a first round by. New Hampshire finished the regular season perfect in conference play (6-0-1) and in their last meeting they outplayed UMBC in every facet of the game in a 2-0 victory, but this is a new team, six games removed, ready to keep their season alive.

After the first set (25-18), came back to tie the game up by taking the second set (25-22) and they they played well in the next two sets it was Albany’s match as they took the final two sets (25-20, 25-21) to sweep UMBC this season.

Alyssa Lang led UMBC with 14 kills and added 11 digs while Naomi Bush had 13 kills. Ashley Oscars came one kill away from a double-double with nine kills and 11 digs. Kira Giles had a double-double with 23 assists and 14 digs while Allie Spaay had 24 assists and Pam Jarrett had 23 digs. Iman Kenned had seven kills with three blocks while Ali Loynachan had eight kills. The other two points came from Sarah Joy, who also led the team with four blocks.

With the team now at 5-3 in the conference they are tied with Stony Brook for second place as they split the series with them. they have just two regular season games left including a tough home game tomorrow against Binghamton and then on the road against New Hampshire next week to conclude the regular season.

Facebook Event

The Mission- Get 1,000 people in the RAC to watch the Women’s basketball team take on #14 Virginia.

It’s a new year and the women’s basketball team has a huge game to open the season. They will take on one of the top teams in the nation. Their ranking doesn’t matter though. They have no wins, anything can happen. Go out and support the women’s basketball team for the big game. If you want to be a true fan you’ll go and support them. Don’t say they are outmatched so you don’t want to go, you say lets show Virginia how hard it is to play here. Last season the most people to go to a game was 861, so I know it is at least possible to get that many again. It’s on a Friday night, it’s free, it’s your team, it’s probably the most talented team UMBC has ever had, go out and cheer your lungs out and tell all your friends to be there and watch them as they get one of their biggest upsets ever.

WEAR BLACK!!!!!!!

Projected Starters:

#5 UMBC (12-5-0, 3-4):
F- Andrew Bulls (15 goals, 10 assists, 40 SOG)
F- Levi Houapeu (14 goals, 11 assists, 30 SOG)
M- Dustin Dzwonkowski (3 goals, 2 assists, 5 SOG)
M- Dave Vaeth (0 goals, 2 assists, 2 SOG)
M- John Paul Waraksa (0 goals, 3 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Milo Kapor (1 goal, 3 assists, 11 SOG)
B- Sean Rothe (17 Starts)
B- Chris Williams (12 Starts, 1 goal)
B- Liam Paddock (16 Starts)
B- Vince Savarese (17 Starts)
GK- Phil Saunders (60 Saves, 20 Goals against, .750 save%)

Key Reserves:
F- Matt Knight (3 goals, 2 assists, 5 SOG)
M- Andy Streilein (1 goal, 1 assists, 4 SOG)
M- Mark Lubetkin (0 goals, 4 assists, 2 SOG)
B- Joe Green (10 games played)

#4 Binghamton (9-8-1, 4-3-0):
F- Jake Keegan (6 goals, 3 assists, 42 Shots)
F- Andy Tiedt (2 goals, 0 assists, 27 Shots)
M- Greg Mathers (2 goals, 0 assists, 14 Shots)
M- Matt Robertson (0 goals, 1 assist, 1 Shot)
M- Scott Zobre (2 goals, 4 assists, 32 Shots)
M- Chris Terry (0 goals, 0 assists, 3 Shots)
B- Kyle Manscuk (18 Starts, 3 goals)
B- Liam Carson (18 Starts, 1 goal)
B- Kyle Kurcharski (18 Starts, 2 goals)
B- Austin Hughes (6 Starts)
GK- Jason Stenta (85 Saves, 19 Goals Allowed, .817 save%)

Key Reserves:
F- Adam Whitehead (1 goal, 1 assist, 15 Shots)
M- Tyler Bailey (2 goals, 1 assist, 9 Shots)
M- Joel Collins (13 Games Played)
B- Yusuf Yusuf (13 Games Played, 1 goal)
B- Josh Sailar (13 Games Played, 1 goal)
B- Austin Hughes (12 Games Played)

Expect a little bit of change for the Retrievers for this game. The last two games the team has not played well at all and if they lose, there is no tomorrow. this is where they get their best players on the field to try and win and advance to the next round.

The forward position is set, Bulls and Houapeu are first team all-conference players for a reason, they are good. Both have had brilliant games this season and both have had bad games this year, but there is nobody on the team that puts the Retrievers in a better chance to win at forward.

The midfield is where you should see some shuffling. While Chris Williams is making his return at back Sean Rothe no longer has to be his replacement, but Jason McCarron is still suffering from his injury suffered mid way through the season and probably won’t see the field because of it, so Rothe will have to stay in the back as the fourth guy, but he won’t be afraid to take the ball up the field if he sees his chance.

Dustin Dzwonkowski has really shined lately. In the two losses to close out the season he was one of the better players on the field and has worked his way into the starting lineup. Mark Lubetkin and Andy Streilein however have worked their way out of it. Each have had great moments but in the last two games (heck I’ll even through in Albany) they did not have good games at all, but they should still see the field during the game. While Milo Kapor and John Paul Waraksa have been rocks in the midfield this year the fourth guy should be Dave Vaeth, who has been playing well in practice and may be ready to step up and take over a starting role for this post season.

The last time the two teams played Binghamton routed the Retrievers 4-0, so it will be tough for UMBC to come back from that since it was also their last game (and it is in the same place). Jake Keegan has come on strong lately and will be the Bearcat’s go-to-scorer. But what makes Binghamton so dangerous is their defense. Kyle Manscuk, Kyle Kucharski, and Liam Carson are three of the top defenders in the conference while Jason Stenta has been on of the top goalies in the conference four a while, but the three field players are all dangerous on the offensive end as well while their midfielders are perfectly capable of stepping back and defending well if one takes the ball up the field.

But it is a do or die situation for both teams and the last game doesn’t matter, they win and they go one, they lose and they go home.

On September 30, 2009 three year assistant Rob Cross left UMBC to take a job as the assistant head coach at Harvard, specializing in offense, an area that UMBC has done very well in the last few years. With the open position Don Zimmerman went on a search for a replacement and today he found on- former Retriever attack Andy Gallagher, who will begin on Nov. 9, 2009.

Since August 2008 Gallagher has been serving as the Director of Student Activities and assistant boys’ lacrosse coach at DeMathan Catholic High School, his alma mater.

While at UMBC Gallagher came back from ACL tears in his freshman and sophomore seasons to be named an All-American for his senior year in 2007, which was the season he led UMBC to it’s first-ever NCAA tournament win after scoring 35 goals and 51 points that year.

He has scored 146 points in his career, good for 11th all-time at UMBC. In 2005 as a sophomore he was named first-team All-America East, and was named to the second-team in 2007.

There were only two players in the America East that were unanimous selections to the all-conference team, those two players were Andrew Bulls and Levi Houapeu, who were also named the AEC striker and midfielder of the year, respectively.

It does not come as a surprise at all that the two were named first team all-conference, they are one and two in the nation in goals and points, and two and three in assists, and have just dominated competition all season.

Andrew Bulls

After scoring 15 goals with 10 assists for 40 points, Bulls was named striker of the year, making him the first since UMBC joined the America East. Bulls has been the highest scoring player in the nation since the end of the first week of games, and his 15 goals is the sixth-most in school history, and most since Derek McElligott in 2003.

Levi Houapeu

Amazingly enough Houapeu has been just as dominate as Bulls this season. Getting one player with a double-double is great, but Houapeu has 14 goals and 11 assists for 39 points this year. Two times this year Houapeu has recorded a hat trick and his 11 assists is tied for fourth most in school history.

The last America East midfielder of the year for UMBC was Matt Watson, who took home the award in both the 2004 and 2005 seasons. This year also marks the first time UMBC has had two first-team all-conference players since Watson and defender Marcus Gross were named to it in 2005.

UMBC had two other players take home awards. Both Liam Paddock and Phil Saunders were named to the all-rookie team.

Liam Paddock

Paddock, an import from England, started all 16 games in which he played. He missed on game because of a yellow card violation. He played all 16 games at center back, and was a big reason for wins over Boston U and Albany when fellow center back Chris Williams was out with an injury.

Phil Saunders

Saunders started all 17 games in goal and became the first freshman to start the season opener since Soren Byskov did in 1997. He recorded 60 saved and a .750 save% with just a 1.20 goals against average.

Press Release From UMBC Athletics:

The venues may be new, but Retriever fans have the same chances throughout the season to talk and gather great information about their favorite hoops team.

For the second consecutive year, “The Randy Monroe UMBC Basketball Show”, will air on Fox 1370 Sports Radio and www.fox1370.com on Thursday evenings from 6-7 p.m. This season, the program will emanate from a pair of local restaurants, Chef Paolino in Catonsville, and Gianni’s Italian Bistro in Halethorpe on most Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. Veteran broadcaster Paul Mittermeier will host the show.

Each of the 15 programs will feature in-depth interviews with Coach Monroe and all the players that comprise the 2009-10 squad. There will also be appearances by special guests, such as several other Retriever head coaches, administrators, and other members of the UMBC community.

So enjoy a late lunch at these fine establishments and talk UMBC basketball with the experts! And listen to the show and every game on the 2009-10 schedule on the flagship home of the Retrievers, Fox 1370 Sports.

Chef Paolino is located at 726 Frederick Road, while Gianni’s Italian Bistro is located at 3720 Washington Boulevard.

Show Dates-2009 Location

Nov. 12, 2009 Chef Paolino

Nov. 19, 2009 Gianni’s Italian Bistro

Dec. 3, 2009 Chef Paolino

Dec. 10, 2009 Gianni’s Italian Bistro

Dec. 17, 2009 Chef Paolino

For the fourth time in the 2009 volleyball season, freshman hitter Naomi Bush has been named the America East Rookie of the Week.

In a 3-0 sweep of Hartford Bush had nine kills with no errors in 14 attempts for a .643 hitting percentage. In the match she also had two blocks and one assists.