Oct. 18, 2011

Box Score

Sophomore M Jessica Otis and junior F April Daugherty each scored goals in the first half as No. 4 Merrimack defeated No. 5 UMass Lowell, 2-1, Tuesday night to claim a share of the Northeast-10 Conference regular season championship at Warrior Field.

With the loss, UMass Lowell slipped to 13-3 overall and 8-1 in the NE-10 entering Thursday’s non-conference match at Assumption and Saturday’s regular season finale at home against American International. With a pair of victories, the River Hawks can claim a share of the NE-10 regular season title.

The victory ran Merrimack’s win streak to 15 matches as it clinched the right to host the NE-10 Tournament semifinal and final Oct. 29-30. The Warriors also won at least a share of the NE-10 regular season title and wrap the regular season Sunday at Adelphi (12:00).

Otis opened the scoring in the fifth minute as she took a pass from sophomore F Candace Waldie and found the low left corner of the goal. Daugherty gave the Warriors a 2-0 lead in the 22nd minute when she tallied off a cross from junior M Katie Zubkus.

The River Hawks pulled a goal back in the 59th minute when the Warriors were whistled for a penalty. Sophomore Rachel McCarthy (Reading, Mass.) converted the stroke – her 19th goals of the season – into the top right corner of the goal.

Merrimack outshot the River Hawks 17-14 overall and 8-6 on target. Sophomore GK Melanie Hopkins (Harwich, Mass.) had six saves for UMass Lowell while junior GK Kerri Bergquist stopped five shots for Merrimack.