UMBC and Lafayette have tangled just once, with the Retrievers thrashing the Leopards, 16-3, in 1988 at Villanova. UMBC is 1-2 at home this season, while Lafayette is 1-4 on the road.
The Leopards (1-7) have lost seven straight games since opening the season with a 10-5 victory at Wagner. The offense has been paced by sophomore attackmen Jason Sands and Eric Joseph. Sands leads the team in assists (14) and points (23), while Joseph has a team-high 13 goals.
The Retrievers (3-5) ended a three-game losing skid with Tuesday night's 11-8 win against Mount St. Mary's. The defense has had its share of lapses, but junior defenseman Zach Esser has played well. He leads the team in caused turnovers (12) and ground balls (23).
Here are a few factors that could play a role in the outcome at UMBC Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday.
1) Go early. UMBC has had problems getting out of the gate, having been outscored by opponents 21-15 in the first quarter and 15-12 in the second. But Lafayette's struggles are even more pronounced. The Leopards have been outscored 30-11 in the opening period and 34-13 in the second. Retrievers coach Don Zimmerman said a strong start is a high priority.
"We always try to come out and start fast," he said. "We have a motto: 'Start fast, stay tough, finish strong.' I think against any team, if you can come out and, right from the opening whistle, get after ground balls and demonstrate that you're eager and hungry to play, I think that's going to be beneficial, no matter who the opponent is. I don't pay too much attention to the stats. I just think it's important that no matter who we play, we want to come out strong from the opening whistle."
2) Go to the goal. Only six Division I defenses have surrendered more goals per game than Lafayette, but Matthew Cortese has done his part to try to stop the bleeding. The sophomore goalkeeper ranks ninth in the country in saves per game at 12.0, and he has double-digit stops in seven starts. Zimmerman noted that because one of Cortese's strengths is stepping out from the cage to cut off shooting angles, UMBC's offensive players can counter with quick passes.
"When they play that high arc, a lot of times they leave that back side a little bit more vulnerable," he said. "So that's one option. But our guys just have to understand that when they have the shot, they need to be patient and poised and know where to shoot the ball and try to hit net. … We've worked on that these past couple of days, and hopefully, that will pay off on Friday night."
3) Go on faceoffs. The Retrievers rank second to last in the nation in faceoff percentage (34.6), but they got a boost in their win Tuesday from senior long-stick defensive midfielder Nathan Klein, who won nine of 16 draws. Klein, who is 28-for-51 this season, could encounter more success against a Leopards squad that ranks last in faceoff percentage (32.1).
"I think Nathan's confidence has grown," Zimmerman said. "I think that's natural when you have success. When you work hard and as a result, you have success, I think your confidence grows. It's one thing to have a good night. That will give you some confidence. But to know that you're working hard and that you're doing everything you can do to be successful and then you have success, now that's some real confidence. And not only our faceoff guys, bur our wing guys also. The hard work they've been putting into practice is starting to pay off."