The Game: Towson (6-1-1, 0-0 CAA) at UMBC Retrievers (4-2-2, 0-0 AE)
When: Thursday, Sept. 15 – 7 p.m.
Where: Retriever Soccer Park – Baltimore, Md.
Broadcast: America East TV
Series: Towson leads 10-7-3

TOWSON, Md. -  The Towson University women's soccer team will conclude their non-conference season at UMBC on Thursday at 7 p.m.
 
The game will be broadcast on America East TV, free of charge.
 
Towson comes into the match on a five-game win streak with four of the five games coming as shutouts. The Tigers have tied the record for most non-conference victories with six after a 7-0 win against Delaware State on Tuesday.
 
Towson and UMBC will be meeting for the 21^st time. The Tigers lead the all-time series 10-7-3. Towson and UMBC have tied the last two matchups including a 1-1 draw last fall.
 
The Tigers will open CAA play next Thursday, Sept. 22 at home against CAA newcomer Monmouth at 6 p.m.
 
CHRISTOPHER - CAA PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Nia Christopher was honored as the CAA Preseason Player of the Year, voted on by the league's head coaches.  Christopher was second in the CAA last season with 13 goals, including five game-winners.
 
CANOLES - PRESEASON ALL-CAA TEAM
Team captain Phoebe Canoles earned a spot on the Preseason All-CAA Team.  The 2021 All-CAA Third Team midfielder started all 18 games last year, scoring three goals and four assists.
 
In addition, team captain Jacey Miller was CAA Preseason Honorable Mention, playing all 1,637 minutes on the back line in 2021.
 
CHRISTOPHER GOING FOR TU GOALS RECORD
Nia Christopher stands with 22 career goals in her Towson career, including 13 as a sophomore in 2021.  The Bermuda National Team forward is going for the record currently held by Emily Banes, who scored 30 goals from 2008-13.
 
Välkommen till Towson universitet
Towson sports two starters from Sweden: redshirt junior Demi Pierre, from Gävle, All-CAA Second Team midfielder in spring 2021, and Maja Hansson, from Sandviken, a junior who played for the U18 Swedish National Team.
 
In addition, Nia Christopher is also from outside the U.S., being a member of the Senior National Team of Bermuda.  She competed with Bermuda in the CONCACAF qualifiers, netting a hat trick against the Cayman Islands.
 
2021-22 USC COLLEGE TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD
For the fourth straight year, Towson was honored with the USC College Team Academic Award for having a team GPA of 3.0 or better.  Towson had a 3.31 GPA during the 2021-22, placing 16 on the CAA Academic Honor Roll.
 
LAST MATCH: TOWSON DOMINATES DELAWARE STATE
Towson had a record-breaking day, getting five goals from Nia Christopher in a 7-0 win against the Hornets.
Top Towson offensive player:
--Nia Christopher: 5 G (4', 19', 27', 46', 52')
Towson goalkeeper:
--Riley Melendez and Kalli Williams: Combined SHO

RECORD-BREAKING DAY
The Tigers had a record setting day against Delaware State in their 7-0 win. The team tied the program record for most non-conference win with six. The Tigers also set the program record for longest win streak at five games.
 
Nia Christopher set the program record for most goals in a single game with five, while also moving into sixth place on the all-time scoring list.

tOP SCORERS ARE BACK
Fresh off its first winning season since 2007, Towson returns is top five goal scorers from last year: Nia Christopher (13), Khori Banks (4), Jasmine Hamid (3), Phoebe Canoles (3) and Demi Pierre (2).  Christopher's 13 goals are third all-time in program single season history.
 
In addition, Hamid (6), Canoles (4) and Pierre (3) were the top three Tigers in assists last year.  Hamid's six assists tied for seventh in Towson single season history.
 
RILEY READY
Riley Melendez is a two-time All-CAA goalkeeper in as many seasons with the program.  She played all but 20 minutes in the cage in 2021.  Her 136 saves stand 10th all-time in Towson history plus she has a career 0.98 goals allowed average, which currently is second all-time in program history.
 
FIVE SPOT IN THREE STATES
Towson has five players each from three different states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the home state of Maryland.
 
Two Maryland natives reside in Baltimore County: sophomore Chiara Menegatti went to Towson High while Phoebe Canoles attended Perry Hall High.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
UMBC comes into the match at 4-2-2, most recently dropping a 1-0 decision at Marist on Sunday. Six different Retrievers have scored a goal and are led by Junior Meghan McKye with four goals. McKye has nine points on the year and is the only Retriever with multiple goals. Senior Morgan McGruder has played every minute in goal for UMBC with a 0.88 goals against average and an 82.1 save percentage.