Oct. 17, 2010

Box Score

Senior F Stephen Potcner (Wilmington, Mass.) scored his fourth goal of the season while the UMass Lowell defense was at its best in a 1-1 draw with Southern Connecticut Sunday in a Northeast-10 Conference men's soccer clash at Cushing Field.

With the draw, UMass Lowell stands at 1-10-2 overall and 0-8-2 in the NE-10 entering next Saturday's match at Saint Rose (1:00).

Southern Connecticut enters its home match against American International College (Wednesday, 7:00) at 10-2-1 overall and 7-2-1 in the Conference.

Southern Connecticut outshot UMass Lowell, 16-11 overall and 6-2 on target, as junior Asley Barrios (Revere, Mass.) and sophomore Evan Spann (Acton, Mass.) led the back four which remained air tight for nearly 90 minutes and blocked numerous crosses and chances for the Owls.

Freshman GK Connor Askins (Boston, Mass.) also enjoyed his best match with four saves, anticipating well and expertly commanding his area.

UMass Lowell enjoyed several breakthrough moments, but none more so that in the 70th minute when Barrios launched a corner kick to Potcner, whose header near the far post deflected off an Owl defender and in the goal for a 1-0 lead.

The Owls applied the pressure and nearly leveled eight minutes later when junior F Cedric Panzu broke through the defense with a through-ball but his touch on the run went wide right of the goal.

In the 87th, junior M Paul Templeton took possession of a UMass Lowell clearance at the top left side of the box and unleashed an attempt past a diving Askins only to soar past the right post.

The Owls' pressure paid off a minute later, however, when junior M Jeremy Tavares crossed to sophomore M Matan Bik, who played it to an oncoming Panzu who finished nicely just inside the top of the box.

Both teams had chances earlier in the half. In the 56th minute, senior M Guillermo Cisneros (Methuen, Mass.) took possession after a scramble in the box, but slotted agonizingly left.

Southern Connecticut's best chances came in succession in the 68th minute and brought the best from Askins, who thwarted an attempt by junior Victor Hernandez and recovered nicely to get a glove on the rebounded shot to sophomore Yoni Feldman.

Junior GK Andrew Esposito had one save for Southern Connecticut.