BALTIMORE, Md.-Sophomore Ben Bailey scored three goals, while sophomore Dave Pittard and senior Eddie McKinnon added two goals apiece to lead the 14th ranked Navy lacrosse team (2-0, 1-0 in the ECAC) to a big 11-4 victory over UMBC (0-1, 0-1 in the ECAC). The win gives Navy a 2-0 start for the first time since 1997.
"Offensively we had a bunch of young kids give a great effort," said Navy head coach Richie Meade. "Defensively, if you are only going to give up four goals you are going to have a great chance of winning every time."
Navy jumped all over UMBC in the first period, streaking out to a 3-0 lead. Bailey put the Mids on top 1:40 into the game on an unassisted goal, while McKinnon and Joe Bossi added unassisted goals later in the quarter to give Navy a lead it would never relinquish.
The Retrievers stayed in the game by outscoring Navy, 2-1, in the second quarter as the Mids could only get a goal from Bailey.
"We lost our composure a little bit in the second quarter after coming out sky high to start the game," said Meade. "We settled down after the half and played good lacrosse."
Navy extended its lead to 6-2 early in the third quarter on goals by Pittard (assisted by Bailey) and Eddy Holton. After UMBC made one last rally to cut the lead to 6-4 with 9:57 remaining in the third, Navy put the game away with three quick goals by Mike Begley (assisted by Pittard), Bailey (assisted by Conklin) and Pittard (unassisted).
"I thought we came together as a team today," said Bailey. "It is always tough playing on the road with all the distractions, but I thought we reacted well."
Jeff Fellows (assist McKinnon) and McKinnon (assist Pittard) scored fourth period goals to round out the scoring.
The Mids travel to North Carolina next Saturday to take on the Tar Heels in a 1 p.m. contest. The Mids lost to North Carolina at home last year, 11-10.
