Box Score

Senior F Keanna Santos (Lakeview, Mass.) scored one goal and set up another as No. 17 UMass Lowell defeated No. 12 University of Bridgeport, 2-0, Friday night in the first round of the 2012 River Hawk Women's Soccer Classic at Cushing Field.

UMass Lowell (1-0-0) moves on to meet LIU Post Sunday at 5:00 at Cushing Field in the predetermined parings. Bridgeport (0-1-0) plays American International Sunday at 2:00.

LIU Post defeated AIC in the first game, 3-1.

Santos opened the scoring in the 25^th minute when senior B Taylor Hartmann (Feeding Hills, Mass.) found space deep in the right side of the box and fed Santos near the spot, who sidefooted inside the left post.

Sophomore F Brittany Russo (Danvers, Mass.) put the game out of reach in the 75^th minute, when Santos' through-ball enabled for a one-on-one with UB goalkeeper Julia Hansson (Tocksfors, Sweden). Hansson rushed forward and got a slight deflection on the ball, but Russo snatched the loose ball, turned and slotted into an empty net.

UMass Lowell outshot UB, 9-6 overall and 5-0 on target as junior GK Jill Carlson (Lexington, Mass.) was never called upon to make a save.

That's not to say Carlson went untested, however. In the eighth minute, UB freshman M Gabby Reis (West Haven, Conn.) penetrated into the left side of the box off a short corner and rung the crossbar with a right-footed blast, which the River Hawks cleared.

UMass Lowell controlled possession for most of the match and Santos nearly scored her second in the 86^th minute. Freshman M Rachel Silk (Lowell, Mass.) released Santos on a break, but Hansson parried the attempt. Santos pounced on the rebound, but shot wide left.

Hansson stopped three shots for the Purple Knights. The clean sheet was Carlson's third in her career.