Box Score Oct. 25, 2011
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Senior F Mohammed Saeed (Woburn, Mass.) headed home the game-winning goal in the 93rd minute as UMass Lowell defeated Dominican College, 1-0, Tuesday night in a non-conference men’s soccer clash at Cushing Field.
With the win, UMass Lowell improved to 9-6-0 overall entering Friday’s regular season finale at home against Stonehill (7:00). The River Hawks can clinch home field advantage for the first round of the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament with a victory.
Dominican slipped to 8-5-3 overall and hosts Post University Saturday (3:30) in its final regular season home match.
UMass Lowell, playing its seventh overtime match of the season (fourth in the last six games and second straight), got the winner when sophomore M Daniel Galvin (Attleboro, Mass.) did well to earn a corner kick.
Senior B Asley Barrios (Revere, Mass.) played a short corner to junior M Bruno Bonicontro (Marlborough, Mass.), who crossed left-footed to sophomore B Alex Sindoni (Haverhill, Mass.), who freed himself in the middle of the box. Sindoni headed toward the near post where Saeed provided the final nod.
The River Hawks nearly won it late in regulation, despite Dominican having the better of chances in the second half. In the 87th minute, an attempt from freshman F Homero Morais (Somerville, Mass.) from the right side of the box was deflected and trickling toward the far post. Galvin and junior M Dennis Kcira raced toward the loose ball, but Kcira got there first to touch wide of the post.
Dominican had a series of chances in quick succession around the 50th minute and brought the best out of sophomore GK Connor Askins (Boston, Mass.). Junior M Sony Narro broke free deep in the box for a one-on-one, but shot right at Askins, who parried outside the right post.
On the ensuing corner by sophomore F Jorge Zubillaga, junior M Pedro Franklin De Araujo turned and got a touch, but Askins dove right to snare the attempt. On another corner shortly after, Zubillaga freed himself in the box for a header, but Askins read it well to make the stop.
UMass Lowell’s best chance came in the third minute when Saeed broke free down the left flank and centered to an unmarked Bonicontro, who slotted right at senior GK Brandon Heembrock.
Dominican outshot UMass Lowell 16-10 overall and 8-6 on frame as Askins earned his first clean sheet of the year with eight saves. Heembrock stopped four shots for the Chargers.
