Box Score

Sophomore F Homero Morais (Somerville, Mass.) scored two goals as UMass Lowell defeated Bentley University, 3-0, Tuesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference men's soccer clash at Cushing Field.

With the win, UMass Lowell established its best start to a season in its modern era (1975 to present) as it improved to 7-0-1 overall and 6-0-0 in the NE-10 entering Saturday's home match against Le Moyne (1:00). In the 2000 season, UMass Lowell rolled to a 6-0-1 start before it suffered its first loss and went on to finish 10-7-3.

Bentley slipped to 4-3-1 overall and 2-2-1 in the Conference and hosts New Haven Saturday at 1:00.

With 14 of its 21 goals scored in the first half this season, UMass Lowell maintained the trend and opened the scoring in the seventh minute when junior M Daniel Galvin (Attleboro, Mass.) tipped the ball out of a goalmouth scramble to oncoming junior M Kevin Zapata (East Bridgewater, Mass.), who lashed home point blank.

Morais, with seven goals in his last five matches, provided the highlight of the night in the 17^th minute when he took a centering pass from senior M Bruno Bonicontro (Marlboro, Mass.) from the left flank, turned and drove a well-struck shot from well outside the top of the box into the upper right corner.

Bentley eventually settled in and had its moments, perhaps its best in the 28^th minute. Senior M Brennan DaCosta found space on the left side of the box and pulled back to sophomore F Michael Kahn who one-timed on the run, but junior GK Chris Maierle (Wantagh, N.Y.) read the play well and gloved the attempt out of play.

Bonicontro nearly got his fifth goal in four matches when he steered a left footed free kick from the right channel, eliciting a diving catch from senior GK Alex Pilitzis.

The Falcons nearly cut the lead in half in the 83^rd when sophomore M Andrew Fenn possessed deep in the box off a corner kick, but his shot was cleared off the line by senior B James Costello (West Newbury, Mass.).

UMass Lowell scored its third goal in the 89^th off a counterattack. Junior F Majid Saeed (Woburn, Mass.) broke down the right channel and crossed nicely to Morais on the left, who touched by Pilitzis, settled and slotted inside the far post.

UMass Lowell outshot Bentley 10-5 overall and 7-4 on frame as Maierle had three saves en route to his second shutout of the year. Pilitzis stopped four shots for the Falcons.