LOWELL, Mass. – Behind two first career goals and a stellar performance in net, the No. 19 UMass Lowell men's soccer team knocked off Vermont, 2-0, to open up America East play on Saturday night.
 
Renato Kauzlaric (Zagreb, Croatia) and Mayele Malango (Kinshasa, Congo) accounted for the scores, and freshman Patrik Gujic (Bjelovar, Croatia) made a career-high six saves.
 
Kauzlaric was in perfect position at the top of the box to collect the pass from Stanley Alves (Minas Gerais, Brazil) and slide the ball past the encroaching keeper to open the scoring in the ninth minute. The play started with Roko Prsa (Zagreb, Croatia) collecting a loose ball and sending Alves down the sideline with a through ball, which the redshirt junior took one touch and found the freshman all alone.
 
Malango added an insurance goal in the 78th minute, when he intercepted a pass from Aron Runarsson and was able to fend off the defender before recording his first career tally.
 
In his first start as home, Gujic made a pair of point blank saves to keep the visitors off the board in the first half.
 
Vermont carried the momentum in the early stages of the second half, but the River Hawks were able to counter every attack with opportunities of their own. Jakov Basic (Zagreb, Croatia) was stopped on the doorstep by Runarsson in the 55th minute, and the keeper had to quickly adjust to a strike from Dario Jovanovski (Zagreb, Croatia).
 
Gujic made three highlight-reel saves in a six-minute span as he was able to keep the America East's leading scorer, Geo Alves, off the scoresheet twice.
 
The River Hawks wrap up their non-conference slate when Holy Cross comes to the Mill City on September 25.