March 22, 2008

by Clay Hall, Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- UMBC lacrosse can't wait to see what happens next. After reviving its season with an eye-opening triple-overtime win over Maryland last Friday, the 13th-ranked Retrievers found the Midas touch in overtime again with a 12-11 double-overtime victory at Ohio State for its third straight victory. The Buckeyes (4-3) lost for the third time in overtime this season.

UMBC got the game winner off the stick of sophomore attackman Matt Latham with 2:24 left in the second overtime, his third goal of the cold and snowy afternoon at Jesse Owens Stadium in Columbus.

"This shows our team has a lot of character and we play together." said Latham. "We wanted to get this one big and keep everything moving in the right direction and not take a step back. You have to show poise in overtime and stay on the same page. You can't try and be the hero."

UMBC (4-3), which has won its last five overtime games dating to last season, has rebounded nicely from one-sided losses to Delaware and Rutgers to start the season.

"I think in the first couple of games we got away from the team concept," Latham said. "When we started working together things began to open up."

Ryan Smith also had a hat trick and three assists and regained the lead for UMBC at 11-10 late in the fourth quarter, its first edge since two minutes deep in the game.

"We just try to score first and end the game," said Smith of the Retrievers mentality in overtime. "This team is getting together and playing well. This is our first win on the road so that's big for us."

"Both teams played very well. Each of us had our runs," said UMBC head coach Don Zimmerman. "In overtime it's anybody's ballgame and our kids showed a lot of character. But I want to give a tribute to Ohio State. They played a really good lacrosse game. It's a bounce of a ball, it's a pipe."

Ohio State's Jeff Ryan whistled a shot off the pipe in the first overtime which ended deadlocked.

Kyle Wimer, Terry Kimener and Alex Hopmann each scored a pair of goals for UMBC.

"This is a tough trip for us to come out here," said Zimmerman. "I thought our kids responded well. We're fighting, we're fighting for ground balls. We play a tough schedule and under adverse conditions I think our kids are really shining."

Zimmerman has neither the time nor the luxury to gaze at the big picture just yet.

"One brick at a time, that's it."

The game was pivotal for both programs who are seen as Division I darkhorses in 2008.

"It's frustrating," said veteran OSU head coach Joe Breschi. "We had our opportunities in overtime and hit a pipe. We had a couple of golden scoring opportunites and couldn't finish the job."

The unranked Buckeyes led after the first, second and third quarters.

"We have to get back to work on Monday. It's easy to say we could be 7-0 but we're 4-3 and so close. We just have to keep fighting."

The loss overshadowed a four-goal outburst and five-point day from senior captain Kevin Buchanan who sent the game into the first extra session with a goal with 1:47 left in regulation.