Box Score (PDF) | Figueroa Interview

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Ivan Blaskic (Zagreb, Croatia) scored his first career goal in the 76th minute as the No. 24 UMass Lowell men's soccer team defeated the Bryant Bulldogs, 1-0, on Wednesday evening.
 
"Our guys did well to keep their composure in a very physical battle," said Head Coach Christian Figueroa. "There was a lot of back-and-forth stuff out there and I thought the guys responded really well, and I gotta give them a lot of credit for that."
 
After a Bryant foul down in the attacking end, Dario Jovanovski (Zagreb, Croatia) sent a free kick into the box and Ivan Abramovic (Zagreb, Croatia) flicked a header to the back post where Blaskic headed it home.
 
In the first 45 minutes, the River Hawks applied the pressure from the opening minutes and Ivan Abramovic (Zagreb, Croatia) cut through the Bryant defense but had his shot stopped by Nick Stewart.
 
Abramovic had the next two attempts for the visitors but was denied on two fingertip stops by Stewart off a finesse move and a header in the 12th and 18th minutes, respectively.
 
Freshman Joe Kellett (Norfolk, Mass.) had two chances for his first career goal in the middle of the first half. In the 21st minute a Bulldog defender sent a header past Stewart and towards to the goal, but before Kellett could knock it in the keeper recovered. Dario Jovanovski (Zagreb, Croatia) found Kellett at the far post in the 26th, but Stewart made it back to the right spot at the last moment.
 
Austin Kroll (Baltimore, Md.) made one save for his 22nd career win and seventh victory of the season. Stewart made six saves for the hosts as the River Hawks held a 9-4 shot advantage, and had seven attempts on target compared to one for the Bulldogs.
 
UMass Lowell won't take the field until October 1 when they host the Binghamton Bearcats in both squad's America East opener.