Emily Coady led UMBC with 35 goals last season

Picked third in the preseason polls behind reigning champion Boston University and reigning regular season champion Albany, which the Retrievers beat in the quarterfinals, 11-9, second-year coach Kelly Berger has plenty of reason to believe her squad can contend this season with more than 80 percent of their scoring and four 30-goal scorers that were apart of the America East’s second highest-scoring offense.

If Emily Coady (35 goals), Amanda Pappas (34 goals), Ashley Stodter (33 goals), and Erika Braerman (32 goals) weren’t enough, Alicia Krause (24 goals) and Lindsay Cox (10 goals) both return and will be joined by Navy transfer Madi Bell (9 goals) and highly-touted freshman Jenn Wells and Maddie Irwin.

Up front in the attack for UMBC will be Coady, Stodter, and Braerman, a very experienced group of one junior (Cody) and two seniors that have had major impacts since they started at UMBC. While she has plenty of scoring options around her, Coady, who was ninth in the America East in goals per game last season, could be due for an even better season and showed just how much of a scoring threat she was in last year’s AE tournament, where she scored eight goals in two games.

Coady is the one that the offense runs through as she plays behind the goal, calls out the plays, and shifts in the offense.

In the midfield Pappas has gotten a reputation as one of the league’s top players, proven by her America East All-Conference Second team selection after a stellar junior campaign.

Amanda Pappas proved to be one of the league's top midfielders last season

While Bria Phillips (23 goals, 10 assists) left UMBC for academic reasons, the return of Carrie Paris, who missed half of last season with an injury, should really bring a real defensive boost to the unit. Meanwhile, Krause, who primarily played up front last season, is expected to switch spots with Stodter, who mostly played in the midfield the last two seasons, in order to take advantage of her defensive ability. Also adding a defensive presence in the midfield will be freshmen Kristen Bilney and Taelar Errington.

The defense is going to be the key to the women’s lacrosse team’s success. The team will score, and in bunches. UMBC finished second in the conference in goals against average, allowing only 8.86 per game but lost four-year starter Sarah Willis and first team All-Conference goalkeeper Kate Quick, who nearly played every minute the last two seasons, saving 126 shots.

The back-line will still have plenty of talent to work with. C.J. Durham (22 ground balls, 22 caused turnovers) led UMBC in caused turnovers each of the last two seasons while Jamie Fahey was the 2010 Rookie of the Year and won’t hesitate to bring the ball up the field and attack the goal. Meagan Linkous, who was used as a defensive midfielder last season, could move down to fill in at the third starting spot, but will be pushed by Kristen Milligan.

Lauren Mundell, Jessica Harkey, and freshman Jackie Benson should also see time in the back.

The biggest question mark for the team will be at goalkeeper. Nobody will know who the starter will be until game time but, it appears to be nearly a three-way tie between senior Natalie Rau, sophomore Kendall Mason, and freshman Ashley Chaconas, non of whom are really experienced at all.

Mason probably has the edge and may start the season opener against George Mason. Last season she saw time in three games, totaling 31:19 minutes with three saves, allowing four goals.

Just a few weeks ago the women’s lacrosse team’s season looked to be finished after an 11-10 loss to University at Albany that put them in a must win situation in the season finale. Well needless to say the team won their next game, earned a spot in the America East Conference Tournament but this time got a victory over UAlbany, 11-9, when it counted the most.

The win secured the women’s lacrosse team a spot in their first ever win in an AEC post season, and first tournament victory wins winning the Northeast Conference Championship in 2003. The team will face the winner of the Boston University and New Hampshire game on Saturday at 1 p.m.

After falling behind by four goals in just 16 minutes the women’s lacrosse team looked to be severely out-matched by the Great Danes, who ended the regular season without a loss in conference play. Ashley Stodter scored on a free position shot to finally get UMBC on the board soon after but UAlbany came right back for another goal.

With 19 seconds remaining in the first half Emily Coady scored her first of four goals to cut the deficit to three by halftime, and for the second game in a row the team came out on fire as they outscored the Great Danes 9-4 after the break.

While Coady led all scorers with four goals, both Stodter and Amanda Pappas scored two goals in the game while Lindsay Cox, Alicia Krause, and Bria Phillips all added one.

But the biggest difference for UMBC was solid goalie play as Kate Quick made six of her eight saves in the second half to help keep UMBC in the game. UMBC also dominated ground balls, getting 22 to UAlbany’s 12. They also turned the ball over six fewer times than the Great Danes.

Freshman defender Jamie Fahey became the first ever women’s lacrosse player earn Rookie of the Year honors. She started all 16 games this year and totaled 35 ground balls, 32 draw controls, and caused nine turnovers. Along with being named Rookie of the Year she earned second team honors.

Joining Fahey on the second team were Erika Braerman, Bria Phillips, and Amanda Pappas.

Braerman led the Retrievers in all three major stat categories this season with 32 goals, 22 assists, and 54 points.

Phillips finished the year with 22 goals and 10 assists with 16 ground balls while Pappas scored 29 goals and had eight assists. She also had 15 ground balls, 13 draw controls, and had 12 caused turnovers.

Also honored with post season awards were three Retrievers on the all-academic team. Emily Coady finished with a 3.39 GPA in Polical Science, Phillips earned a 3.54 GPA in Business Technology Administration, and Kate Quick finished with a 3.37 GPA in psychology.

In a must win situation to get into the America East Conference Tournament the women’s lacrosse team started slow, very slow, falling behind by five goals in just 11 minutes, But from them on UMBC just dominated the game, outscoring Binghamton 19-4 the rest of the game, and 14-2 in the second half.

The start the second half freshman Lindsay Cox scored four straight goals to get UMBC the lead, which they never dropped.

Ashley Stodter also scored four goals while Erika Braerman and Bria Phillips each had three goals. Alicia Krause and Amanda Pappas scored two each while Emily Coady added a final goal.

With the victory the Retrievers clinched a berth in the AEC tournament for the first time since 2006. The team also won their 10th game of the season for the first time since 2006 while their 10-6 record through 16 games is their best since 2002.

UMBC will play top-seeded Albany on May 6 to open the four team tournament.

UMBC was just 52 seconds away from an overtime game but then Albany’s Rachael Burek netted a goal for the victory.

Kate Quick, Amanda Gable, Rachel Pincus, Erika Welck, and Sarah Willis all played in their final home game, and were put in a must win situation against Binghamton if they can dream about getting to their first America East Conference tournament.

Bria Phillips recorded her second straight hat trick while Amanda Pappas, Ashley Stodter, and Emily Coady all recorded two goals. Alicia Krause had one.

In goal Quick recorded five goals in 60 minutes.

The women’s lacrosse team gave up six early goals to Boston U, including three-straight in which they did not even touch the ball on the possession.

A slow start like that is too much for any team to come back from, much less against the defending conference champions, causing the retrievers to lose, 12-8.

Bria Phillips led the team with three goals while Amanda Pappas scored two against the Terriers.

Emily Coady broke the Terriers run with a goal at 18:44 off a pass from Alicia Krause as she came around from the back of the goal.

After struggling early Kate Quick was replaced by freshman Kendall Mason but did return to the game, making eight saves in 51:21.

The team trailed 9-4 at the half but did out play the Terriers in the second half as they outscored them, 4-3 after the break.

After trailing 6-5 at the half the women’s lacrosse team outscored the Catamounts 10-3 in the second half for an impressive victory over their conference foe.

Leading the charge for UMBC was Erika Braerman, who scored five goals in the game. Helping her cause were Bria Phillips with a hat trick while Lindsay Cox, Amanda Gable, and Emily Coady each had two. Meagan Linkous added another goal to the team’s score.

UMBC struck first blood when Gable came up right after the opening draw control for the goal. Vermont got back-to-back goals to take the lead but Brearman took a pass from Amanada Pappas to the tying goal.

Vermont went on a three goal run after than but were answered right back with three straight goals from the Retrievers.

But it was Vermont who would get the final goal of the half, and first goal of the second half to take the two goal lead. But a 10-2 run the rest of the way clinched the victory for UMBC who is now 2-1 in the conference.

Katie Quick recorded 11 saves in 60 minutes of action for the victory.

Sophomore attack Emily Coady and sophomore midfielder Bria Phillips each scored five goals in the game while Erika Braerman, Alicia Krause, and Ashley Stodter each scored two. Kristen Milligan, Kerianne Allen, Carrie Paris, and Rachel Pincus each scored a goal a piece.

With the offense having so much success the team was able to get a lot of work in for their reserve goalie keepers. Starter Katie Quick recorded six saves in 52:55 but Kendall Mason and Natalie Rau each had one assist in just over four minutes of play.

Erika Braerman started the scoring less than three minutes into the game before Amanda Pappas recorded back-to-back goals soon after.

American finally got on the board at 21:59 but UMBC went on a 12 goal run extending into the second half.

Amanda Makoid got American one other goal but UMBC responded four more goals before the end of the game.

Pappas led UMBC with four goals while sophomore Emily Coady scored three goals. Braerman, Alicia Krause, Ashley Stodter, Bria Phillips, and Amanda Gable all netted two while Meagan Linkous and Rachel Pincus each had one.

Even though the offense was on fire, Katie Quick did her part with five saves in the game.

They scored the first 14 goals of the game, and went into the half with a 14-1 lead. In the second half they did not have as much offensive success but they outscored Fresno State 4-2 after the break, giving them an 18-2 victory.

It was senior midfielder Amanda Gable’s turn to have a solid offensive night. She led the team with five goals and also had four draw controls.

Erika Braerman and Bria Phillips each had three goals and three assists while Ashley Stodter netted two. Alicia Krause, Kristen Milligan, Emily Coady, Lindsay Cox, and Meagan Linkous all had a goal a piece. In goal Kate Quick got the start and made a save and gave up no goals, but was taken out 24 minutes into the game after the team has a very sizable lead. Kendal Mason and Natalie Rau each had one save.