Dragons Drop Season-Opener to UMBC, 12-7

Saturday, February 18

Philadelphia, Pa.

1 p.m.

Drexel University

0-1

UMBC

1-0

UMBCM

Drexel Dragons

2/18/2023 3:01:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Luke Tomak scored four goals in his return from an injury but it wasn't enough as UMBC defeated Drexel in the season-opener, 12-7, at Vidas Field. The Retrievers scored three-straight goals to close the first half to take the lead and pulled away in the fourth quarter.

UMBC, who finished last season with the ninth best scoring defense in the nation, held Drexel to just three second half goals. The Dragons offense never got clicking and was held to just 17 shots on goal in the game. Jayson Tingue made 10 stops in the game, seven of them in the second half.

Drexel trailed by just two at 8-6 near the end of the third as Tomak scored his third goal of the game with just under two minutes to go. However, the Retrievers upped the lead to three with a Brett Baccia score with just 36 seconds in the period. Scoring late was a theme on Saturday as the Retrievers scored in the final 40 seconds in each of the first three quarters. UMBC scored three of the four goals in the fourth as the Retrievers defeated Drexel for the second straight season.

The teams played a fairly even opening half, but UMBC went on a 3-0 run to end the first half. Mike Doughty scored the final two goals of the half, including one on the final possession of the quarter with just 4.3 seconds to play to make it 6-4. Drexel was unable to get any closer the rest of the contest. The Dragons had taken a lead midway through the second quarter when Conor Hooley scored his second of the game and Tomak converted on a man-up goal at the 6:16 mark. Sean Donnelly set up both of those goals.

Drexel opened up the scoring in the opening minute of the game when Jack Mulcahy scored on the opening possession just 38 seconds into the contest. The teams would alternate the first four goals of the game before the Retrievers took their first lead at the end of the period. Allen Hockenberry took a pass from behind the net and spun towards the cage and his back hand shot beat Ross Blumenthal as the buzzer went off. The goal counted and UMBC led 3-2.

UMBC outshot Drexel, 38-33, in the game and had seven more ground balls than the Dragons. Each team won 10 face offs as Drexel's Justin Joseph was 9-for-18 in his debut with five ground balls. Blumenthal made seven saves in 30 minutes of play in goal for DU. Tomak and Hooley combined for six of Drexel's goals. Jack Mulcahy was the only other goal scorer. The senior also had two assists to finish with three points.

Mike Doughty led UMBC with three goals and an assist. Hockenberry had two goals and two assists.

The Dragons will be back in action at Vidas Field on Tuesday night at 5:30 against Lafayette.