Box Score
Senior F
Bruno Bonicontro (Marlboro, Mass.) converted a penalty kick in the 99
th minute to lift UMass Lowell over Merrimack, 2-1, Wednesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference men's soccer clash at Cushing Field.
With the win, UMass Lowell improved to 1-0-1 overall and 1-0-0 in the NE-10 entering Saturday's non-conference match against Bridgeport (12:00).
Merrimack slipped to 1-1-1 overall and 0-1-0 in the Conference and hosts Molloy Saturday at 6:00.
Bonicontro, who was tripped in the box to earn the spot kick, sent Merrimack goalkeeper Jose Silva (Northboro, Mass.) the wrong way and slotted inside the right post for the winner.
The penalty kick came after UMass Lowell created three chances in the extra session, the first in the 93
rd minute when junior M
Kevin Zapata (East Bridgewater, Mass.) broke free down the right side of the box and attempted to sneak one inside the far post, which just eluded the goal and oncoming sophomore F
Homero Morais (Somerville, Mass.).
In the 96
th minute, Bonicontro crossed from the left side to junior M
Daniel Galvin (Attleboro, Mass.) at the far post, who headed to Morais, whose header was right at Silva.
UMass Lowell's best chance came just before the penalty kick when Galvin crossed to Morais from the right side, whose header was magnificently tipped over the bar by Silva.
UMass Lowell opened the scoring in the 33
rd minute when junior M
Kyle Garvan (Braintree, Mass.) sent a ball over the top of the Merrimack defense to junior F
Majid Saeed (Woburn, Mass.), who took a touch and chipped over an oncoming Silva.
Merrimack regained its form in the second half and its persistence paid off in the 77
th minute. UMass Lowell junior GK Chris Maierle (Wantagh, N.Y.) was judged to have brought down senior F Franklin Pena (San Salvador, El Salvador) on the left side of the box, resulting in a penalty kick.
Senior B Alejandro Fuchs (Caracas, Venezuela) slotted inside the right post, sending Maierle the other way.
UMass Lowell outshot Merrimack 17-9 overall (including 4-0 in overtime) and 10-3 on target. Silva made six saves while Maierle had one save.
