BALTIMORE, MD –
David Nigro (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) and
Colin Stripling (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) scored goals in the 49th and 54th minutes to erase a two-goal deficit, but the Monmouth University men's soccer team fell to UMBC, 3-2, on the road Saturday night. With the loss, the Hawks fall to 0-3-2, while the Retrievers are now 1-1-2.
UMBC scored first half goals in the 2nd and 19th minutes by Tre Pulliam and Sammy Kahsai, respectively. Just over three minutes after Stripling tied the game with a header off a
Jake Areman (Freehold, NJ/Colts Neck) corner, Pulliam set up Christian Morales for a low shot across the 18-yard box and inside the right post for the game winner.
QUOTES & NOTES
“The guys showed a lot of character bouncing back against a team that made the Final Four two years ago and creating a lot of chances in the second half. We made two mistakes early and UMBC punished us on both mistakes. It's tough to come back from a two-goal deficit wherever you're playing. Unfortunately we weren't able to win, but as a group, we have to learn from these mistakes going forward.” –
Monmouth Head Coach Robert McCourt- Nigro scored his first goal of the season and the 14th of his career off a pass into the box from freshman
Geoffrey Schaefer (Bridgeton, NJ/Woodstown). Nigro finished from left to right inside the far post.
- Stripling scored his team-leading second goal of the season and the ninth of his Monmouth career, heading in Areman's corner in the 54th minute.
- Junior goalkeeper
Chris Seager (Ocean Township, NJ/Ocean) made a pair of saves before being replaced by
Zack Neugebauer (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick), who made his Monmouth debut. Neugebauer did not face a shot in the final 27:41 of regulation.
- Two Hawks – freshman back
Andy Martinez (Paterson, NJ/St. Benedict's) and sophomore midfielder
Anderson Asiedu (Hoboken, NJ/St. Benedict's) have played every minute this season for Monmouth.
CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS
- Monmouth outshot UMBC, 12-9, and took a 7-2 edge in corner kicks for the game
- UMBC goalkeeper Billy Heavner made three saves in being credited with the win.
- The Hawks' back line was credited with a team save in the 12th minute, stopping a would-be goal-scoring chance behind the keeper.
- Nigro got off a team-high four shots.
- Schaefer played a season-high 63 minutes off the bench.
- UMBC improved to 7-0-0 all-time against Monmouth.
UP NEXT
The Hawks return home to face Columbia on Wednesday night. Kickoff from Hesse Field on The Great Lawn is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN3.
