BALTIMORE – UMBC freshman back Alexa Quaranta (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) recorded her first collegiate goal to tie the contest at one in the second half against American in Saturday afternoon’s non-conference matchup at Retriever Soccer Park, but the black and goal were unable to hang on, falling 2-1 to the Eagles.     

UMBC drops to 0-2-1 on the season, while American picks up its first victory of the year to improve to 1-2-1.

With the game still scoreless, UMBC got its first real opportunity 18:47 into the contest. The American defense played a ball back to goalkeeper Carlene Belanger, but as Belanger went to clear the ball, Retriever freshman forward Bria Bass (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) was there to block the pass. Bass gathered the ball, but sailed a shot just wide of the net.

In the 30th minute, American’s Erin Mulhern found Kelly Donovan ahead of the pack  who curved a shot from the top corner of the 18-yard box, into the far right post to put the Eagles out in front, 1-0.

The Retrievers’ evened the score up at one at the 38:54 mark of the second half. Senior forward Rachel McKee (Ellicott City, Md./Mount Hebron) delivered a long pass up the right side of the field to Quaranta. Quaranta gathered the ball inside the 18-yard box and with two defenders in front of her, dribbled the ball back to the middle and blasted a shot, beating Belanger inside the right post.

Despite UMBC bringing up its level of intensity in the second half, American was able to put away the game-winner in the 79th minute. Following a corner, Danielle Beard chased down a ball on the far side and tapped a pass ahead to Jasmine Mohandesi, who blasted a shot from 10 yards out into the far side post for her third goal in as many matches.

UMBC goalkeeper Lauren Kadet (Oakville, Ontario/Sir Wilfrid Laurier) (0-2-1) finished the afternoon with six saves on 17 American shots. Belanger did not make a save in the contest, but moves to 1-2-1 on the season.

McKee, who registered two shots in the contest, moved into the top-10 in career shots in the Retrievers’ record books, surpassing Theresa Robert (108) and moving into a tie for ninth with Viviana Saraceno (109).

The Retrievers return to action on Monday, Aug. 27 when they travel to Drexel for a 1 p.m. game at Vidas Field.   

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