BALTIMORE – The UMass Lowell women's soccer team (2-5-6, 2-2-2 AE) played to a 3-3 draw against the UMBC Retrievers (3-11-3, 0-4-3 AE) on Sunday afternoon at the Retriever Soccer Park.
 
"Didn't start well with the first goal. Credit to the team coming back to lead at halftime and I think we looked really good and really dangerous, and we should've put more chances away," said head coach Mira Novak. "We had majority of shots and possession, but our attitude in the last five minutes was not good enough. We have a week to regroup, and we have to win these last two games."
 
Junior Laura Cetina (Galicia, Spain) and senior Chloe Layne (Wrentham, Mass) each scored their second goal of the season while senior Calliste Brookshire (Kingston, Mass.) scored her fourth of the year from the penalty spot. Senior Marissa Saucedo (Ventura, Calif.) tallied an assist and a shot while redshirt senior Taylor Burgess (Mendon, Mass.) made four saves on the afternoon.
 
Early pressure from UMass Lowell forced two early saves from UMBC's Sara Gavagan as junior Hope Santaniello (Agawam, Mass.) had a great chance in the second minute after getting on the end of a Laura Cetina through ball. The junior got a touch over the goalkeeper, but the attempt was deflected wide for a corner. On the ensuing corner, Cetina had a rocket from the top of the box that was pushed out for another corner.
 
The Retrievers opened the scoring against the run of play after a short corner saw the ball whip into the box. Natasha Munro's header bounced off the crossbar and was ruled to be over the line by the linesman to give UMBC a 1-0 lead.
 
UMass Lowell had majority of the possession and had UMBC pinned back in their own end following the goal. The River Hawks created several chances but could not find a goal. In the 29^th minute, a handball in the box gave UMass Lowell a penalty, which was converted by Calliste Brookshire to level the score.
 
The River Hawks took a 2-1 lead in the 40^th minute after good pressure from Marissa Saucedo forced a turnover just outside the UMBC box. Saucedo dropped a pass to Chloe Layne who chipped the ball beautifully over the goalkeeper for her second goal in as many games.  UMass Lowell went into the halftime break leading 2-1, outshooting the Retrievers 9-2.
 
UMBC put the pressure on UMass Lowell in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. The Retrievers had a great chance from a corner in the 53^rd minute, but the header went off the crossbar and out of play, keeping the River Hawks' lead at one. Freshman Franzisca Sinclair (Frankfurt, Germany) saw her left-footed shot saved off the line in the 61^st minute as UMass Lowell looked for a third goal on the day.
 
Laura Cetina scored her second goal of the season in the 64^th minute after her direct free kick from outside the box found the far bottom corner of the net. Cetina's second goal in two games gave the River Hawks a two-goal edge and breathing room with 25 minutes to play.
 
UMBC got one back in the 87^th minute with a header from a corner to make it a 3-2 game. Just a minute later, the Retrievers tied the game with a goal from Bella Roppolo. Taylor Burgess made an incredible save to push the ball onto the crossbar in the dying seconds of the game and it ended in a 3-3 draw.
 
The River Hawks have a week off before hosting UAlbany on October 22. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Cushing Field.