UMBC blanks New Hampshire, 1-0, in America East Quarterfinals

BALTIMORE (Via UMBC) – The UMBC men’s soccer team advanced for the seventh consecutive time in America East Conference tournament play as the third-seeded Retrievers (11-5-3) blanked sixth-seeded New Hampshire, 1-0, in quarter-final action at Retriever Soccer Park.

The three-time defending league champions advance to play second-seeded Vermont in Burlington on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 7:00 p.m.

UMBC scored the game’s lone goal in the 30th minute of play on an own goal. Retrievers sophomore midfielder Cormac Noel (Todmorden, England) brilliantly eluded a pair of UNH defenders on the left side 25 yards from goal, then slipped past another in the box before crossing the ball. UMBC seniors Michael Scott (Fife, Scotland) and Joseph Pratt (Gaithersburg, Md.) made center and far post runs for the cross, but the ball ricocheted off a Wildcat defender between the pair and deflected into the net.

Wildcat senior netminder Ryan Carpenter kept his side in the game as three of his seven saves were outstanding. Later in the first half, he made stops on Scott and freshman James Gielen (Edgewater, Md./De Matha) and he stretched out to knock away a Sammy Kahsai (Mount Rainer, Md.) effort in the 58’.

UMBC was able to keep UNH at bay until the latter stages of the game. Wildcat midfielder Fazal Nabi got position on the far post on a serve, but his header went wide in the 76’.

UMBC junior netminder Billy Heavner (Landisville, Pa.) made his lone testing save of the night, diving to bat away a Chris Wingate attempt from mid-range in the 82’.

Heavner finished with a trio of saves and posted his team’s fourth consecutive shutout of the season.

Each team had eight shots in the game and the Retrievers had all three of the contests’ corners.

The Retrievers won the past three league titles by capturing two games each, all at home. They will face their first road AE Tournament contest since 2009 when they take on the Catamounts.

Vermont won the regular season match-up, 3-0, with three second half goals on Oct. 14. UMBC will enter the contest on a four-game winning streak. The two teams met in last season’s America East semi-finals, with the Retrievers prevailing, 3-1, at Retriever Soccer Park.