After posting two conference wins last week, junior goalkeeper Austin Kroll (Baltimore, Md.) of the No. 14 UMass Lowell men’s soccer team has been named the River Hawk of the Week.
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Following the shutout victory at Stony Brook on October 16, Kroll moved into third all-time in program history with 25 career wins. The junior also has 17 career blank sheets, good for fourth all-time.
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The Baltimore, Md. native made seven stops and only allowed one goal on the week, propelling the River Hawks to their best start in program history at 10-0-2. Kroll recorded four saves in the 2-1 victory against Vermont on Oct. 12, including a diving stop in the 67th minute.
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The junior only had to register three saves at Stony Brook, but two came in the final 15 minutes when the Seawolves were generating pressure in front of the net. Kroll’s lunging finger-tip stop on a laser in the 75th minute was a key to the win, and earned the America East Save of the Night. In the 86th minute, Kroll had to react fast to a point blank shot that he juggled before corralling to seal the win.
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With two weeks remaining in the regular season, Kroll sits atop the conference rankings with a 0.55 goals against average and a .829 save percentage. On the national scene, the UMass Lowell net minder is ranked ninth and 20th in those respective categories.
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This is the third River Hawk of the Week award for the men’s soccer team this season, and the third for Kroll in his career.
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The "River Hawk of the Week" is chosen in voting by the UMass Lowell Athletic Communications staff. It honors the top athlete, male or female, based on performance during the previous week of competition.
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UMass Lowell takes its unbeaten streak on the road to face off against New Hampshire on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.