UMBC’s Men’s Lacrosse lost their last game of the season on April 30 against the America East Conference’s first place University at Albany Great Danes. The game’s final score was 15–14 after an overtime thriller. The Retrievers fell into an early hole, but fought back to take the game into the extended period in a charge led by the now departing seniors.
Senior Nate Lewnes ended the game with 10 goals for the black and yellow, tying the school record for highest ever scored in a single game by a Retriever, previously set in 1992, and the most goals by an individual player through the 2016 season, so far. Lewnes also averaged the most goals per game this season in NCAA Division I play, with 3.91 per a game.
The Retrievers came into the game trying to end their season by getting their first pair of back to back wins. The team would have to mount a major upset to make this happen, facing off against the fifth best team in the nation, Great Danes. UMBC’s leading goalscorer Nate Lewnes opened up the scoring on the day, but despite early trading of blows, Albany started to escape the Retrievers in the first half, ending up with an eventual 10–3 lead at the break.
The Retrievers tightly contested the third quarter and entered into the game’s final quarter reducing the seven goal lead down to five. Despite conceding an early goal in the fourth by way of Albany forward Connor Fields, the Retrievers rallied back by converting the next six goals to tie it all up. Lewnes scored five in the fourth quarter, the fifth with one minute and 10 seconds left in regulation to bring his season total to an incredible 43.
After a closely contended overtime period, the visiting Great Danes scored with 15 seconds remaining to end the game alongside the Retriever’s six goal surge. The result would complete Albany’s perfect sweep of the AEC and take UMBC to 1–5 within the conference, and 4–10 for the season, putting an end to their season.
