Oct. 29, 2010

Box Score

Sophomore F Joseph D’Antonio scored a pair of goals to lead the University of New Haven over UMass Lowell, 3-1, Friday afternoon in the Northeast-10 Conference men’s soccer regular season finale at Kayo Field.

The loss halted a three-match unbeaten streak for the River Hawks, who end the season with a 3-11-2 overall record and a 2-9-2 clip in the NE-10.

With the win, New Haven improved to 7-9-1 overall and 6-6-1 in the Conference and inched closer to a NE-10 Tournament bid.

UMass Lowell was gifted a New Haven own goal in the 39th minute, enabling it a 1-0 lead entering the half. After senior F Stephen Potcner (Wilmington, Mass.) headed a corner kick from junior D Asley Barrios (Revere, Mass.) off the crossbar, the failed clearance went back to Barrios on the right side.

Barrios then steered a shot from the flank which was deflected off the foot of a New Haven defender for the early lead.

“We had a lot of the ball in the first half,” said Interim Head Coach Christian Figueroa. “They were dropping off on us and we were patient.”

The Chargers stormed back with goals less that two minutes apart shortly after the break. D’Antonio steered a corner kick from freshman F Gui Dos Santos from the top of the box into the top right 90 beyond the reach of freshman GK Connor Askins (Boston, Mass.).

Just 1:47 later, Dos Santos gave New Haven the lead when he played a ball across the box which deflected in off senior M Guillermo Cisneros (Methuen, Mass.) who attempted to clear, but was a touch late.

“We were a little unlucky (one the second goal), but we were flat over the first five minutes,” Figueroa noted.

UMass Lowell nearly leveled in the 86th minute when sophomore D Evan Spann (Acton, Mass.) roped a left footed shot which junior J.J. Comeau stopped before allowing it to trickle near the line. On the ensuing counterattack, D’Antonio eluded a defender and slotted inside the left post.

Shots were even at 12-12 and 4-4 on target. Askins had one save while Comeau stopped three shots for New Haven.