Sept. 24, 2011

Box Score

Senior F Mohammed Saeed (Woburn, Mass.) scored the lone goal in the 48th minute to lead UMass Lowell over the University of New Haven, 1-0, Saturday afternoon in a Northeast-10 Conference men's soccer clash at Cushing Field.

The win was the second straight for UMass Lowell, which improved to 3-4-0 overall and 3-2-0 in the NE-10 entering Tuesday's match at Bentley (3:30).

New Haven dropped to 0-5-2 overall and 0-4-0 in the Conference and hosts American International College Tuesday at 4:00.

Saeed scored the winner three minutes into the second half when sophomore M Daniel Galvin (Attleboro, Mass.) slipped a through-ball through the New Haven defense in the path of Saeed, who deftly chipped over New Haven goalkeeper J.J. Comeau.

The goal, the first of a host of chances in a remarkably improved second half, proved to be all the River Hawks needed. Saeed and Galvin, along with junior M Bruno Bonicontro (Marlboro, Mass.), combined well and consistently caused problems for the Chargers the entire second half.

But they will wonder how they failed to convert the rest of the way.

Five minutes after his goal, Saeed took a cross from junior D James Costello (West Newbury, Mass.) unmarked, but shot into the back of Galvin, which Comeau quickly recovered.

In the 58th minute, Bonicontro released Saeed on a break down the left side, but he slotted agonizingly wide right. Four minutes later, Bonicontro dropped off for Saeed at the top of the box, but Saeed's attempt rung the left post and was gathered by New Haven.

The missed opportunities nearly proved costly. New Haven started to threaten and nearly leveled in the 77th minute when freshman F Eric Robertson released sophomore F Gui Dos Santos on a break down the left side of the box with Maierle beaten, but his shot caromed off the crossbar.

UMass Lowell regained the momentum and nearly doubled the lead in the 83rd. Bonicontro broke free down the left and crossed to Galvin near the right post, who headed into the path of Saeed, but the forward's shot was just over the bar.

New Haven had a 15-13 edge on overall shots and a 7-3 advantage on target.

Sophomore G Chris Maierle (Wantagh, N.Y.), who had seven saves, did well to earn the shutout and read New Haven's attack well the entire match, snuffing a pair of near breakaways in either half.

Comeau stopped two shots for New Haven.