BALTIMORE, Md. – In a crucial mid-week America East matchup at UMBC Soccer Stadium, the University of Hartford men's soccer team fell to the UMBC Retrievers on Wednesday night in 7-1 decision. The Hawks (7-8-1 overall, 1-4-1 AE) are in a do-or-die situation as they must win their final game of the 2012 season, a home match against Albany, in order to keep their season alive and earn a bid to the upcoming conference championship.

After a relatively quiet and even match, Peter Caringi, the league's leader in goals and points, rallied for two of his game-high four goals to quickly put the Retrievers (9-4-4, 3-2-1 AE) ahead by a 2-0 count before the halftime break. UMBC added an early second half goal in the 47th minute to go ahead 3-0 before Hartford found the scoreboard for the first time just over two minutes later. The Hawks' goal capped off a 12 minute span in which both teams combined for four goals.

The Retrievers took the lead with less than eight minutes left to play before the intermission on a penalty kick. Caringi posted his sixth goal in just five games after driving a hard shot down the middle, eluding Hartford keeper Viltsu Tuumi who dove to his right.

The score quickly doubled to 2-0 in the first half's closing seconds after Caringi struck again with the eventual game-winner, this time connecting on a give-and-go and heading the ball into the back of the net from seven yards out. Kadeem Dacres and Justin Becker were each awarded an assist on the play, which provided the Retrievers with the two-goal lead with just 26 seconds remaining in the period.

UMBC reached the scoreboard one more time before Hartford put up its first score of the evening. Ninety-seven seconds out of the intermission, Mamadou Kansaye booted a corner kick towards the near post, finding the head of Liam Paddock. From five yards out, Paddock headed home his team's third-straight goal of the evening and provided the Retrievers with the 3-0 advantage.

At the 49 minute mark, the Hawks were able to stop the bleeding as sophomore Rohan Roye and freshman Javoni Simms teamed up to net Hartford's lone goal of the match. Simms netted his ninth tally of the year and halted the Retrievers' three-goal rally after putting the finishing touches on a cross by Roye from four yards away from the goal.

The Hawks' goal did not disrupt the Retrievers' momentum, however, as they closed out the match with four-straight tallies to grab the 7-1 advantage.

Caringi produced UMBC's fourth and fifth goals of the game, generating the back-to-back goals within a span of eight minutes. He made it a 4-1 match in the 62nd minute and in the 70th minute, he granted Mamadou his second assist of the game after finishing off a pass on a free kick.

Dennis Travis pushed the Retrievers ahead, 6-1, in the 80th minute and Michael Scott closed out the match with his first goal of the season in the 83rd minute.

The Hawks took 13 shots on the evening, putting more than half (7) on goal as Retrievers' keeper Phil Saunders was forced into action six times. UMBC finished with 15 shots, two of which were saved by Tuumi.

Before Wednesday's match, the Hawks had won five of their last six games against the Retrievers, including the last two meetings, both of which came last season.

Hartford concludes the 2012 regular season at home as it hosts the Albany Great Danes on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Prior to kickoff, the Hawks will honor their two seniors, Kevin Lewis and James Stamopoulos, who will be playing their final regular season home game at Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium.