Senior midfielder Avery Klingensmith celebrates her first goal of the season with teammates during American’s 1-1 draw against UMBC on Sept. 4 at Reeves Field.
American University women’s soccer (0-5-2) tied 1-1 against the University of Maryland Baltimore County Retrievers (3-2-3) on Sept. 4 at Reeves Field.
Flocks of parents filled the stands as American celebrated its seniors, who will eventually take flight this spring.
This marked the 16th meeting between American and UMBC, and the first since September 2024, when the Eagles were victorious, winning 3-1 in Baltimore.
The Retrievers entered the match coming off a draw against Towson University, while American was still in search of its first win of the season.
A consistent theme throughout the evening was the Eagles’ ability to create promising opportunities through sharp ball movement, only to fall just short of converting them to goals. Whether through quick midfield link-ups or well-placed corner kicks, the Eagles were on the brink of a breakthrough yet unable to capitalize on it.
Although both teams were evenly matched early on, UMBC ultimately struck first in the 36th minute, despite sustained pressure from the defense, giving the Retrievers a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles responded quickly and with aggression. In the 61st minute, senior midfielder Avery Klingensmith tied the game at 1-1 as she rushed down the field, scoring her first goal of the season — off a well-timed pass from senior defender Eliza Fisher.
“It was do or die at that point,” Klingensmith said. “We had to put the ball in the back of the net. I saw the cross coming from Eliza and just did what I could to get my head on it. It was crucial for us to score and get back into the game.”
The goal ignited the crowd, giving the Eagles momentum early in the second half.
Sophomore forward Maddie Hurowitz consistently tested UMBC’s defense, leading the Eagles with 4 shots on goal, including 1 in the first half that forced a clutch save from the Retrievers’ goalkeeper.
Freshman defender Mary DelVecchio also had an outstanding moment late in the second with a header off the line in the 82nd minute to preserve the tie.
Additionally, senior goalkeeper Tamera Taylor-Moore made 3 saves in the first half, while sophomore keeper Addison Roemer held UMBC scoreless in the second.
American continued to be aggressive throughout the game and completely dominated in scoring opportunities, outshooting UMBC 23-11 with 12 shots on target. The Eagles also earned eight corner kicks compared to the Retrievers’ one, but were unable to find a winning goal.
“It’s always good to score, right? But making sure that we can turn up our offensive production — that’s something that we’re really hoping for,” head coach Marsha Harper said. “If we have 12 shots on goal, we have to convert more than 1.”
With this draw, American remains winless and marks their second tie, the first being against Virginia Commonwealth University two weeks prior. Despite this, it’s a step forward after a difficult out-of-conference stretch.
“Playing South Carolina gave us confidence,” Klingensmith said. “We came out with high energy in that game, and that carried over today. We were able to apply a lot of the good things we learned.”
Despite the stalemate, Harper emphasized the importance of preparing for the inevitable Patriot League battles.
“We want to make the playoffs, we want to win a league championship, so we’re just going to keep pushing and make sure that we get to that point throughout the season,” she said.
The Eagles return to Reeves Field to open Patriot League play against Army on September 20th.
This article was edited by Connor Sturniolo, Penelope Jennings and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Sabine Kanter-Huchting, Ariana Kavoossi and Emma Brown.
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