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If Tom Gravante has his way - and as the head coach, he probably will - Mount St. Mary's will go with its third different starting goalkeeper in Saturday's Northeast Conference opener against Sacred Heart. Freshman Frankie McCarthy is poised to open Saturday's home contest as the goalie. McCarthy would replace sophomore Adam Borgogelli, who made nine consecutive starts after freshman Will Rego opened the season against then-No. 3 Maryland. Borgogelli made the start in last Saturday's 10-8 loss to UMBC, but after he surrendered seven goals in the first half, McCarthy played the entire second half, allowing just three goals and making five saves.

The first half of the season has ended with UMBC compiling a 3-5 record. But the next five weeks may be more important -- and even more rewarding -- for the men's lacrosse team. Saturday's road contest at Hartford begins America East play for the Retrievers. They have won or shared four conference regular-season titles and three league tournaments, which include an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. That's why Saturday's game has been likened to the start of a new season. “It's the most important part of the season because we want to compete for a conference championship and we want to secure a bid to the NCAA tournament,” coach Don Zimmerman said Wednesday afternoon.

After starting the season 2-5, the Loyola women's lacrosse team has begun what it hopes is a big turnaround with three straight wins, including Wednesday night's 13-7 victory over a UMBC team off to its best start in 27 years. The No. 17 Greyhounds, who defeated Big East Conference foes Louisville and Cincinnati over the weekend, dominated the second-half draws against the Retrievers and thwarted any attempt at a comeback by maintaining possession for the final 10:41 of the game at UMBC Stadium.

  UMBC senior defender Ethan Murphy scored his first goal of the season to break an 8-8 tie and the host Retrievers held on to defeat Mount St. Mary's, 10-8, on Saturday. Murphy scored the game-winner with 6:48 left. He also finished with six ground balls and three caused turnovers. UMBC goalkeeper Wes DiRito had 11 saves and allowed only two second-half goals. The Retrievers (3-5) led 7-6 at halftime before the Mountaineers (4-6) tied the game at 7, and then again at 8. Murphy and Scott Jones scored to put UMBC up 10-8.

Towson has dominated this series to the tune of 28 wins and 15 losses with its neighbor to the south, but UMBC has won four of the last six meetings. The Tigers (3-5) have posted all three of their wins in the last five contests, but couldn't take advantage of a stirring 8-7 come-from-behind win against Navy a week ago in last Saturday's road game against No. 8 Duke, who coasted to a 12-4 victory. The Retrievers (2-4) snapped a three-game losing skid with last Saturday's 16-11 defeat of High Point, but are trying to win back-to-back contests for the first time since April 2011.

Marcus Holman (Gilman) scored his 100th career goal and Joey Sankey had career highs for goals and points in a game as No. 10 North Carolina rolled to a 13-5 win over visiting Dartmouth (2-3) on Monday afternoon. Holman had four goals and an assist for the Tar Heels (4-3), while Sankey had four goals and three assists. Freshman attackman Patrick Kelly (Calvert Hall) scored his first career goal for North Carolina. Next up for the Tar Heels is a matchup at top-ranked Maryland at noon Saturday.

Colleges Towson's Fratantuono earns CAA honor Towson junior outfielder Dominic Fratantuono (Cardinal Gibbons) was named Colonial Athletic Association Co-Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday. In five games, Fratantuono batted .545 while leading the Tigers to four victories. He went 12-for-22 with eight runs scored, three doubles, one home run and 11 RBIs. Other baseball honors: UMBC junior catcher Brandon Coluccio was named America East Player of the Week.

The two best players were on the opposite ends of the field Tuesday night, and they both played for Towson. Tigers junior attackman Thomas DeNapoli finished with seven goals and three assists, and senior goalie Andrew Wascavage made 15 saves as Towson defeated UMBC, 12-9, before an announced 545 at UMBC Stadium. DeNapoli, from East Rockaway, N.Y, was unstoppable and at times looked like NBA star LeBron James. He called for the ball. He waved his teammates out of the way. When he was double-teamed, he dished off and handed out assists.

UMBC has split its last two contests, and the starting goalkeeper for both games has been sophomore Wes DiRito. DiRito was on the losing end of a 13-7 setback to Johns Hopkins on March 8, but the Odenton native who graduated from DeMatha earned his first career victory as the Retrievers battered High Point, 16-11, last Saturday. DiRito succeeded senior Adam Cohen, who started the first four contests of the season en route to a 13.33 goals-against average and a .412 save percentage.

Freshman attackman Michael Guerin of Kent (Conn.) School has orally committed to North Carolina, joining a select group who have chosen a college before making their official high school debuts. Guerin, a left-hander, is a member of the New England Select Lacrosse League 2016 Black team, according to the league website. He also played on the NESLL under-15 team that took fifth at the US Lacrosse U-15 National Championships last summer. Guerin is a member of the U-15 national team that will compete in Florida this summer.