Box Score Progress is sometimes measured in leaps and bounds, more often it is measured in small consistent steps. There was progress Sunday, but UMass Lowell women's soccer dropped a 4-0 decision to the University of Hartford at the Cushing Field Complex.
"We possessed the ball a little better, we attacked a little better," said Head Coach Elie Monteiro, "but at the end of it all, when we struggle defensively with set pieces and staying tuned in until the ball has cleared our back third, we are always keeping other teams in it."
Hartford scored three second half goals off corner kicks as the visitors improved their record to 8-4-3 overall and 3-2-0 in America East Conference play. The loss dropped the first year Division I River Hawks to 0-13-0 overall and 0-4-0 in the conference.
"It's about a little bit of positioning, anticipation and the desire and hunger in wanting to win the ball," said Monteiro.
The visitors blew the game open in the second half. Up 1-0 on a Chanel Johnson goal in the 17
th minute of play Hartford scored off three set pieces in a span of less than eight minutes in the second half. Amanda Hamilton got the first one; a header off a corner kick. Erica Primovic got the next two; one-touch inside the box. Stephanie Santos who had put the ball in play was credited with the assists on all three goals.
"It's going to take some time," said Monteiro. "What we are focusing on is to make sure that we, as individuals, learn from our mistakes in the previous match. We want to get better at the little things, right now the little things are amounting to a lot."
Hartford outshot UMass Lowell, 21-14 overall, 8-4 on target. River Hawk junior goalkeeper
Jane Hatzikonstantis (Tewksbury, Mass.) made four saves. Jessica Jurg, protecting the Hartford net made four saves, three of them on shots from junior
Brittany Russo (Danvers, Mass.)
The River Hawks return to action and the road for games Tuesday at Holy Cross and Thursday at New Hampshire before returning home on Sunday to host Maryland Baltimore County.
