BALTIMORE – The UMBC women’s lacrosse team reversed a 6-1 first-half deficit and defeated the Bryant Bulldogs, 17-9, in the America East opener for both squads on Friday evening at UMBC Stadium.
Junior attacker Grace Bruce scored a game-high five goals, including the go-ahead tally with 10:44 remaining in the third quarter. Senior midfielder Katana Nelson scored four goals, including the 100th of her career on a free position shot in the fourth quarter. Nelson also added a game-high five ground balls and three caused turnovers. Libby Staples produced a career-high four goals and handed out a pair of assists. Freshman attacker Emily Knapp hit the back of the net twice while Lizzie Bateman dished a game-high three assists. Goalie Isabella Fontana picked up her eighth win after making seven saves in just over 54 minutes of action. She moved into the Retrievers’ 6th all-time spot in saves.
UMBC (8-1, 1-0 AE) won 17-of-29 draws and held a 21-12 advantage in ground balls. Bryant also committed 25 fouls compared to just seven by the hosts.
The hosts fell behind 6-1 after Isabel Katter’sr second goal of the evening at the 12:56 mark of the second quarter. It capped a 5-0 run for the Bulldogs after Lauryn Warfield put UMBC on the board to even the game at 1-1 just 1:59 into the contest.
The Retrievers answered with a 6-1 burst to even the game at intermission. Nelson scored three times during the stretch, and Bruce scored two more. In the second stanza, Staples opened the run with an unassisted tally at 12:11.
Bryant (5-4, 0-1 AE) took an 8-7 advantage goal with 13:47 left in the third quarter, but UMBC scored six consecutive goals to take control of the contest with 2:29 left in the period. Staples evened the game for the final time after an unassisted tally at 12:47. Bruce then delivered back-to-back goals to give the Dawgs the lead for good at 10-8 with 9:10 left in the third quarter. Knapp and Staples followed, and then Bruce and Nelson capped the run with free position goals to make it 14-8 with 2:29 left in the third.
UMBC put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter, outscoring the visitors by a 3-1 margin.
Katter paced Bryant with three goals and added a pair of assists.
The Retrievers travel to New Hampshire on Friday afternoon.
