Nov. 9, 2009

The River Hawk Report - Volleyball, Field Hockey and Women's Soccer in Post Season

In a replay of 2007, UMass Lowell will meet Merrimack in the first round of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Tournament East Regional, hosted by No. 1 seed the College of Saint Rose at The Albany Academies Friday at 1:00.

The winner of Friday's match meets No. 1 Saint Rose (21-0-0), ranked No. 2 in the latest NSCAA Division II poll, Sunday at 1:00 at Albany Academy.

The University of Bridgeport (16-1-3) received the No. 2 seed and will host Friday's 2:00 game between No. 3 Franklin Pierce (16-4-1) and No. 6 Holy Family (13-8-1). The Purple Knights will play the winner Sunday at 1:00.

UMass Lowell, which received the No. 4 seed, is enjoying arguably its best-ever season with a 12-4-3 record while No. 5 Merrimack brings a 13-5-3 clip into the Tournament. The two met in the regular season on Oct. 28 as the Warriors prevailed, 1-0, on a 66th minute goal by sophomore Khara Roman.

The match marks the third straight year the Warriors and River Hawks have clashed in the postseason. Last year, UMass Lowell stunned the Warriors in the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament, 1-0 in double overtime to move on to the semifinal.

In 2007, Merrimack defeated the River Hawks, 1-0, in the NCAA East Regional first round in Albany, NY.

UMass Lowell, making its fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament in five years, is still searching for its first-ever NCAA win (0-2-1). The River Hawks first made the tournament in 2005, but were a 1-0 casualty to Assumption.

In 2006, UMass Lowell and Franklin Pierce battled to a 1-1 deadlock before the Ravens won, 4-3, on penalty kicks to advance.

Merrimack leads the all-time series against UMass Lowell, 12-4-1, but the River Hawks have posted a 4-3-1 clip against the Warriors since 2004. Six of the last seven meetings have either been in overtime and/or resulted in one-goal affairs.