Alyssa Radu’s squad has a great chance to win their season opener for the first time in at least the last 10 years. I’m not taking any credit away from Delaware State, who the women’s soccer team’s lone non-conference win came against, but UMBC is going to be better this year. The last two years Radu did not really have much say over the schedule as contracts were already signed by the previous head coach, and Radu was not really playing with players that fit her style of play. But now is when you’ll see Radu’s style of coaching come in, and the team will have a much more favorable schedule that isn’t jam packed with Big East competition.

Mo Van Vlerah

The biggest thing for a coach when they are coming into a new team is molding the team to play into their style of coaching. Radu’s coaching style is very different that the style of former coach Tara Koleski, and now she finally has her players on the programs. Koleski recruited some very good players, in fact Sandra Vacarino, Erin Johnson, Christine Sadowski, and Mo Van Vlerah will be some of the best players on the team this year, but it takes a bit of time for those players to transition to the new coach (which they’ve all had two years to do), and with players that already fit that style around them the transition period is over.

Even Radu will tell you that her realistic goal for a team that has just five wins over the last two seasons is not a conference championship, it’s moving up into the middle of the conference and contending for a spot in the conference tournament, and that is going to be a realistic goal, but before that happens the team will have to show improvement in their season opener against Delaware State.

While the roster will most likely be changed around from last year, the team returns nine players who started at least 10 games, including top goal scorer Vacarino (4 goals, 2 assists) and goalie Van Vlerah (109 saves, 69.4% saves).

Last season Rachel McKee was able to rip off five shots on goal, and while she was unsuccessful in all of her attempts, she split the defense and found ways to pressure the defense. The odds are this year, with a better supporting case around her, she will be successful this time.

Aly Gazarek

The defense also had a stellar game as they allowed just two shots on goal in their game, allowing just one in the back of the net in the 4-1 victory.

Aly Gazarek, Megan McDonald, Elyse Bilardo, and Danielle Kell all scored in last year’s game, and while two of them are gone, the offense should still have some success as the midfield should be able to control the ball in this game.

Just for fun I will attempt to project the starting roster, though it is clear the team will make some changes after just a two win season last year.

F- LeAnne Edgar (0 goals, 1 assist, 4 SOG)
F- Rachel McKee (1 goal, 1 assist, 14 SOG)
M- Katie Gitlin (1 goal, 1 assist, 2 SOG)
M- Morgan Andrews (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Sarah Purdum (1 goal, 0 assists, 4 SOG)
M- Sandra Vacarino (4 goals, 2 assists, 8 SOG)
B- Erin Johnson (16 starts)
B- Christine Sadowski (17 starts)
B- Kelsi Morris (Transfer from Pittsburgh)
B- Aly Gazarek (17 starts)
GK- Mo Van Vlerah (109 saves, 48 GA, 69.4% Saves)
*2009 Statistics

August 20- Delaware State (1-15-2)- 5:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers (Goals-Assists):
Theresa Wappett (3-1)
Ashlee Gourdine (2-2)

Delaware State was one of the Retrievers two victories last season, could they do the unthinkable and start off 0-1?

August 22- @ Drexel (4-13-1)- 1:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Jenna Lindsay (5-1)
Alex Vasquez (2-4)

The start is simple enough to get two wins, but that is only if the women’s soccer team improved at all from last year.

August 27- @ Longwood (9-8-1)- 7:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Lindsey Ottavio (3-4)
Alex Myers (3-1)

Longwood loses some good players, but still return a solid group of players.

August 30- @ Campbell (9-9-2)- 5:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Olga Elbom (6-2)
Marisa Muller (4-2)

Another tough road game for the Retrievers that will just get them ready for conference road matched.

September 3- @ George Washington (6-8-4)- 4:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Sierra Smidinger (2-4)
Jillian Morgan (1-1)

GW loses some good scorers on an average team, but did the two win Retrievers improve enough to steal a win?

September 8- Delaware (6-6-5)- 5:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Stacie Dulkis (5-0)
Stephanie Rinschler (3-1)

After the team’s top offensive threat from 2008, Morgan Warrington, left UMBC to transfer to Delaware, she moved back to her natural defensive position and became the CAA’s top defender right away.

September 15- George Mason (14-4-2)- 4:00 p.m.
Top returning scorer:
Omolyn Davis (10-6)
Tiana Kallenberger (9-8)

The Patriots finished ranked 7th in the Mid-Atlantic region last season and return most of their key players. The Retrievers would need everything to go right to get a win.

September 19- @ American (11-10-2)- 1:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Brooke Sheppard (1-6)
Patricia Bailey (3-0)

The start of another tough road trip is just getting the Retrievers more tough competition to get them ready for conference play.

September 22- @ Loyola (15-5-3)- 7:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Nichole Shiro (9-6)
Kelly Thomas (3-8)

Both the men and women’s team will play the MAAC champions in a double header at Loyola.

September 26- @ Vermont (1-13-3)- 1:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Gabby Bonfigli (3-0)
Jessica Becker (2-2)

Vermont’s only win last year was against UMBC. Will the Retrievers get their revenge this year?

September 30- Boston U (14-6-2)- 4:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Jessica Luscinski (6-8)
Megan McGoldrick (5-4)

The reigning AEC champions lose a lot, but they also bring in more than the Retrievers return. UMBC is probably a few years away from competing with the big dogs.

October 3- @ New Hampshire (4-14-1)- 1:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Monique Lamotte (2-1)
Marika Posehn (1-2)

New Hampshire only had four wins last year and lost much more than the Retrievers, could UMBC steal a road win?

October 7- Maine (9-5-3)- 4:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Hannah Breton (4-2)
Kelsey Wilson (3-4)

Maine has steadily improved in the conference and return enough to keep improving.

October 10- Stony Brook (7-10-2)- 1:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Dana Adamkiewicz (1-2)
Taryn Schoenbeck (1-3)

Stony Brook is missing a lot of scorers. If there has been any improvement in the Retrievers they should be able to nab a win here.

October 14- Binghamton (9-7-2)- 4:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Jamie Holliday (4-2)
Emily Pape (4-0)

Binghamton is one of the conference powerhouses in women’s soccer, UMBC is far from it.

October 17- @ Albany (8-10-1)- 1:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Chelsea DeVerna (6-3)
Chrissy Klepper (3-1)

The Retrievers start a two game road trip to end the regular season against an always scrappy Albany team.

October 21- @ Hartford (6-10-2)- 7:00 p.m.
Top returning scorers:
Breanna Robinson (4-4)
Mary Beth Hamilton (3-5)

UMBC’s lone conference win last season was against the Hawks, will they be able to repeat the success or will Hartford get revenge on the Retrievers?

If UMBC can’t improve on their two win from last year then things are worse than we thought. The schedule is easy enough to get a handful of victories but unless they can find somebody to get goals it could be another long season. Sandra Vacarino returns as the team’s top scorer with four goals and two assists but only Danielle Kell scored more than one goal between the rest of the team. She has the ability and aggressiveness to score more but hasn’t proved she can. Of UMBC’s recruits, only one is an offensive player, so more offense could be tough to come by. They have the goalkeeper to be successful, but the scoring must increase and improvement must be seen in Alyssa Radu’s third year as head coach.

If UMBC would have won the game they would have beeb in great position to make it to the America East tournament, but now with the loss they are in a deep whole and would have to do something big to get into the tournament this year.

In the 18th minute Albany forward Ashley Tirabassi headed in a cross from Katie Grant to the lone goal of the game.

UMBC only recorded one goal (one shot on goal) in the entire game, which came in the first half. Meanwhile, Albany recorded 20 shots, 11 on goal. The lone UMBC shot came from Danielle Kell in the 22nd minute and the goalkeeper didn’t even have to move to move to save it.

Mo Van Vlerah recorded nine saves in the game.

Junior Sandra Vacarino recorded the first two goals of the game. In the sixth minute knocked a corner kick into the top right of the goal with the goalie out of position (corner and assist was from Aly Garazek) and in the 23rd minute she blasted a shot from 35 yards out into an empty net.

Aly Garazek had one goal and two assists this season.

But Vermont mounted a comeback, recording three goals in the next four minute. First Gabby Bonfigli received a cross from Carson Laderoute for the score. Then Laderoute split two defenders for the goal, and finally Jess Herbst shot a cross received from Jessica Becker into the lower right corner.

But UMBC tied the game up for the half. Christine Sadowski kicked a backwards ball into the goal off a corner in the 36th minute off a ball from Elyse Bilardo to tie the game 3-3, which lasted until halftime.

After halftime UMBC once again did not take long to get on the board. In the 51st minute Danielle Kell recorded her third goal of the year off a double assist from Megan McDonald and LeAnne Edgar.

But like the last time UMBC had a lead, Vermont mounted a comeback. The Catamounts once again score three straight goals. IN the 53rd minute Heidi Hassler caugh Mo Van Vlerah, who recorded seven saves in the game, off guard to tie the game.

Then Lederoute found Becker for another goal in the 67th minute, and less than one minute later Becker found Herbst for the sixth Catamount goal of the game.

With less than one minute remaining Sarah Purdum beat Vermont’s goalkeeper on a one-on-one situation after a double assist from Vacarino and Kell.

The team is now 1-9-1, 0-2-0 in the America East but it is nice to see they can score goals. They just have to finish and win with them.

While Rachel McKee shot the life out of the ball with six shots and five on goal, she did not get one into the net, but four other retrievers did.

After being down 1-0 at half time, in the 54th minute junior midfielder Elyse Bilardo (first of career) blasted a shot from 25 yards out into the top left of the goal. Just a minute later Aly Garzek (first of career) receiver a cross from Danielle Kell and got another goal for the Retrievers from six yards out.

Elyse Bilardo kicked off the four goal effort with the first goal of her career

With the game winding down UMBC added some insurance goals when Megan McDonald (first of career) knocked a ball off the keeper from 35 yards right of the center for the goal in the 79th minute, and finally in the 88th minute Kell got her goal off a rebound right in front of the goal.

Lets hope that lack of scoring in all of the previous meaningless games (except Maine) stays behind and this final non-conference game gives the girls confidence that they can score…lets hope.

UMBC (0-4-1):
F- Rachel McKee (0 goals, 0 assists, 6 SOG)
F- Danielle Kell (0 goals, 0 assists, 3 SOG)
M- Katie Gitlin (1 goal, 0 assists, 2 SOG)
M- Sandra Vacarino (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- LeAnne Edgar (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
M- Morgan Andrews (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Elyse Bilardo (0 goals, 0 assists, 2 SOG)
B- Erin Johnson (5 Starts)
B- Aly Garzek (5 Starts)
B- Christine Sadowski (5 Starts)
GK- Mo Van Vlerah (34 saves, 13 goals, allowed, .723 save%)

Key Reserves:
F- Brooke Piper (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
M- Megan McDonald (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
B- Katie McKay (3 games played)

George Mason (7-1):
F- Tiana Kallenberger (5 goals, 3 assists, 13 SOG)
F- Theresa DeLucca (2 goals, 2 assists, 4 SOG)
F- Nicole Peters (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Omolyn Davis (6 goals, 2 assists, 10 SOG)
M- Capricia Alston (2 goals, 0 assists, 4 SOG)M- Mary Kate Lowry (0 goals, 0 assists, 2 SOG)
B- Sasha Vido (5 Starts)
B- Patti Benner (8 Starts)
B- Hannah Sklay (8 Starts)
GK- Katie Frey (23 saves, 4 goals allowed, .852 save%)

Key Reserves:
F- Kelly Keelan (4 goals, 6 assists, 6 SOG)
F- Annie Lebherz (2 goals, 0 assists, 11 SOG)
F- Jessica Pisasale (2 goals, 0 assists, 5 SOG)
F- Zania Barnum (0 goals, 1 assists, 1 SOG)
M- Crissy Parker (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
M- Kimmy Moss (2 goals, 1 assists, 9 SOG)
M- Leslie Cabe (1 goal, 0 assists, 6 SOG)
M- Colleen Killiany (0 goals, 1 assists, 0 SOG)
B- Kelly Thomas (7 starts)

UMBC is coming off their best game of the season but are now traveling to one of the best and deepest teams in the nation. One thing is for sure, Mo Van Vlerah will once again keep UMBC in the game. She has been great all season but if they defense lets shots go she can’t save everything. The offense is what needs to pick up though. They got their first goal so lets hope they can build off that momentum.

UMBC (0-4):
F- Rachel McKee (0 goals, 0 assists, 5 SOG)
F- LeAnne Edgar (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
M- Elyse Bilardo (0 goals, 0 assists, 2 SOG)
M- Sandra Vacarino (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Danielle Kell (0 goals, 0 assists, 2 SOG)
M- JoAnne Jackson (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
B- Katie Gitlin (4 Starts)
B- Christine Sadowski (4 Starts)
B- Aly Garzarek (4 Starts)
B- Erin Johnson (4 Starts)
GK- Mo Van Vlerah (24 saves, 12 goals allowed, .667 save%)

Key Reserves:
F- Brooke Piper (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Megan McDonald (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
B- Katie McKay (3 games played)
B- Morgan Andrews (4 games played)

George Washington (2-3-1):
F- Kayley Sullivan (0 goals, 1 assist, 10 SOG)
M- Sierra Smidinger (0 goals, 1 assist, 3 SOG)
M- Misa Eiritz (2 goals, 0 assists, 6 SOG)
M- Brittany Eger (3 goals, 0 assists, 6 SOG)
M- Jillian Morgan (0 goals, 1 assist, 3 SOG)
M- Kristen Slack (0 goals, 0 assists, 4 SOG))
B- Molly Bruh (6 sames started)
B- Michelle Aueron (6 games started)
B- Samie Cloutier (6 games started)
B- Emily Gower (6 games started)
GK- Lindsey Rowe (33 saves, 7 goals allowed)

Key Reserves:
F- Adriana Moya (0 goals, 0 assists, 7 SOG)
M- Brittain Schorstein (0 goals, 0 assists, 4 SOG)
M- Ashley Starks (0 goals, 0 assists, 3 SOG)
B- Clare Roche (Six games player)

While UMBC has yet to score a goal they, have had almost two weeks off to figure out that is gong wrong. The alignment will likely be changed in order to get something going. UMBC is going to have a challenge but George Washington is not great at scoring either. Both teams have good goalies that will be hard to get by. The game will rely on them. If the defense and Vlerah play well they could come out with the win, but they still need to score their first goal of the season for themselves.

UMBC (3-0):
F- LeAnne Edgar (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
F- Rachel McKee (0 goals, 0 assists, 4 SOG)
M- JoAnne Jackson (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Sandra Vacarino (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Elyse Bilardo (0 goals, 0 assists, 2 SOG)
M- Danielle Kell (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
B- Erin Johnson (3 Starts)
B- Aly Gazarek (3 starts)
B- Katie Gitlin (3 Starts)
B- Christine Sadowski (3 Starts)
GK- Mo Van Vlerah (17 saves, 11 goals allowed, 60.7 save%)

Key Reserves:
M- Megan McDonald (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Morgan Andrews (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
B- Katie McKay (2 games played)

Towson (2-2):
F- Kaysi Ward (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
F- Erica Marshall (2 goals, 3 assists, 10 SOG)
F- Phylicia Rosselli (3 goals, 0 assists, 4 SOG)
M- Annie Hillin (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
M- Danielle Rosanova (1 goal, 0 assists, 3 SOG)
M- Britney Hadaway (0 goals, 0 assists, 2 SOG)
B- Samantha Young (4 Starts)
B- Melissa Gomes (4 Starts)
B- Alex Davis (3 Starts)
B- Ashley Ventura (4 Starts)
GK- Kristen Sample (11 Saves, 2 GA, 84.6 save%)

Key Reserves:
F- Cheyenne Skidmore (1 goal, 2 assists, 1 SOG)
M- Courtney McKee (0 goals, 0 assists, 2 SOG)
M- Kim Speese (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
D- Jordan Luithle (2 games played)
D- Alex Evitts (3 games played)
D- Courtney Lupinek (4 games played)
D- Sarah Thomas (3 games played)
GK- Jocelyn Papciak (10 saves, 3 GA, 76.9 save%)

UMBC is coming off a really disappointing loss and may be fired up to avenge it in this game. But one thing is for sure: they will have a tough challenge ahead of them. Towson is a pretty good team and what makes them hard to beat is their defense. They are extremely deep on defense and those fresh legs in all the time really help them. With a choice of two very good goalies to put behind them Towson does not allow much through. What UMBC has to do is keep the ball. If they keep the ball and pressure the defense, it doesn’t matter how good they are, they will eventually break. Mo Van Vlerah is a good goalie for UMBC. Her stats don’t show it because the defense has not been playing very well so he has been pelted with shots, but she will keep them in this game. UMBC just has to figure otu a way to get goals, something they haven’t actually done all season, their only goal was an own goal by Bucknell.

The game really looked like UMBC was going to get their first win. Ten minutes into the second half UMBC had a corner kick opportunity that put them on top. While a UMBC player has still yet to score this season, the Bison defender jumped and attempted to head the ball away from danger, but instead of going towards the middle of the field it bounced behind her into the goal, putting UMBC up 1-0. The Retrievers looked to be in good shape the rest of the way. They played great defense Mo Van Vlerah was dominating in goal, recording seven saves on the night.

But then came final five minutes of the game. Bucknell tied the game when Rosemary Walker got past the defender and blasted a shot from 15 yards out for the goal.

While UMBC was still playing well following that goal, with less than two minutes to play Brooke Stokes got the go ahead Bison goal after good passing from her teammates.

So UMBC is now 0-3 and while no player has scored a goal yet they were not shutout. The bright spot once again was Vlerah. She is going to be a very good goalie for UMBC and she is going to keep them in games, the only problem is can the offense help her. It does not matter how good the goalie is, if her offense can’t keep possession and she is constantly pelted with shots and she has no offensive support the team cannot do well. UMBC really has to shoot more but to shoot they need possession more. they were once again out shot by their opponent (17-8) and in the first three games the defense has given up 66 shots.

UMBC (0-2):
F- Brooke Piper (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
F- Rachel McKee (0 goals, 0 assists, 3 SOG)
M- Megan McDonald (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Danielle Kell (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Sandra Vacarino (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Elyse Bilardo (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
D- Erin Johnson (2 Starts
D- Aly Gazarek (2 Starts
D- Katie Gitlin (2 Starts
D- Christine Sadowski (2 Starts
GK- Mo Van Vlerah (9 goals allowed, 10 saves, 52.6 save%)

Key Reserves:
F- LeAnne Edgar (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
M- JoAnne Jackson (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Morgan Andrews (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)

Bucknell (0-2):
F- Brooke Stokes (0 goals, 1 assists, 1 SOG)
F- Megan DeGennaro (1 goal, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
F- Christa Matlack (0 goals, 0 assists, 3 SOG)
M- Kellian Doherty (0 goals, 0 assists, 2 SOG)
M- Molly Linhart (0 goals, 0 assists, 1 SOG)
D- Caitlin Holtz (2 Starts)
D- Casey Crowley (2 starts)
D- Kelsey Johnson (2 Starts)
D- Amanda Citron (2 Starts)
D- Lauren Stoller (2 Starts)
GK- Kathryn Sutton (4 goals allowed, 7 saves, 63.6 save%)

Key Reserves:
M- Sadie Canter (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)
M- Jenna Tyron (0 goals, 0 assists, 0 SOG)

I have a good feeling about this game for UMBC, not because Nucknell is bad *which really helps) but because when you saw how aggressively Rachel McKee has played you know sh’es going to get one past pretty soon. There has honestly only been two bright spots for UMBC, one is McKee and the other is goal keeper Mo Van Vlerah. She did give up nine goals but 10 saves is very good, especially when the opposing teams take 49 shots.

Last game UMBC lost to a down LaSalle team so presumably Alyssa Radu is going to go back to her openning day roster, because the changed didn’t work. With Van Vlerah and McKee playing very well right now it would not be a shock if UMBC edges this game out. They just have to shoot the ball.