BALTIMORE – UMBC broke through the nearly impenetrable, scoring twice against Longwood's Big South-leading defense to hand the Lancers a 2-0 road loss Sunday afternoon at Retriever Soccer Park.
The Retrievers (2-4-1) became the first team in nearly a year to score multiple goals against the Lancers, who entered the matchup having allowed just three goals in seven games this season. Despite Longwood's Big South-leading .482 goals against average and top-30 standing in the NCAA defensive rankings, UMBC freshmen Christina Corbi and Erin Stevenson struck in the 18th and 56th minutes to stymie what was Longwood's best start to a season since 2013.
"That just wasn't good enough today," said Longwood head coach
Todd Dyer. "No real energy, purpose or sharpness on our part. It's frustrating as well because any time we'd start to connect a few passes or put them under pressure, we would concede a goal and make it tougher on ourselves."
The underclassmen-led scoring charge from UMBC also featured a pair of assists from sophomore Nikki Saad, who set up Corbi with a centering pass from the right side in the first half and then set up Stevenson with a corner kick in the second half.
Longwood (5-3) had gone 16 consecutive games holding opponents to fewer than two goals before Stevenson snapped that streak with an insurance goal 11 minutes into the second half. It marked the first time since Liberty edged Longwood 2-1 on Sept. 28, 2016, that the Lancers allowed an opponent to put two goals on the scoreboard.
The loss came less than 48 hours after Longwood pulled off a 1-0 shutout of Southern Conference darling UNCG Friday night. That win featured a seven-save night from Longwood goalkeeper
Maria Kirby, who had recorded three shutouts in her past four games before the Retrievers derailed that streak Sunday.
Longwood (5-3) could muster little to support their backline, putting just three shots on goal despite outshooting UMBC 11-9 overall. UMBC goalkeeper Leah Roth was there to fend off each of those three shots en route to her second shutout of the season.
Roth's effort handed Longwood only its third shutout of the season.
"Like I told the team though, the only thing that matters now is how we respond," Dyer said.
Now past the halfway point of a four-game road stretch, Longwood will play its final non-conference game of the season Thursday at VCU. The 7 p.m. rivalry showdown will kick off in Richmond, Va., and serve as the final precursor to Longwood's pursuit of the 2017 Big South Championship. Longwood will open that quest on Friday, Sept. 23 at home against reigning regular season champion High Point.
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