ALBANY, N.Y. – The UMass Lowell women's soccer team (3-5-2, 0-1-0 AE) fell 1-0 to the UAlbany Great Danes (4-6-1, 2-0-0 AE) on Sunday afternoon in Albany.
 
"I think we were a little nervous at the start and couldn't connect many passes together. We had a chance to take an early lead, but unfortunately missed it. I think overall it was amessy game on both sides," said head coach Mira Novak. "We didn't create many chances and we're not happy with the way we played today."
 
Graduate student Emily Nelson (Peabody, Mass.) led the team with three shots while senior Anna Edson (Beverly, Mass.) and sophomore Ioanna Papatheodorou (Nea Erithraia, Greece) each tallied two shots. Redshirt junior Taylor Burgess (Mendon, Mass.) made three saves and allowed one goal.
 
UMass Lowell had much of the possession in the opening 10 minutes with the midfielders and forwards linking up nicely. The River Hawks had a chance to take an early lead after being awarded a penalty kick in the 10^th minute. Emily Nelson saw her shot saved by Hart to keep the score tied.
 
The back line led by graduate student Lily Fabian (Monson, Mass.) and senior Allison LeBlanc (Saugus, Mass.) kept a high line and kept the Great Danes pinned in their own end. Sophomore Emma Mitchell (West Orange, N.J.) and graduate student Julia Edholm (Stockholm, Sweden) helped anchor the defense and shut down UAlbany's attacking threats. UMass Lowell was quick to win the ball back after losing possession, putting the hosts under pressure on their first touch. Taylor Burgess was called to action in the 34^th minute, making a diving save on a close-range attempt to keep the game scoreless.
 
The Great Danes found life late in the half, but the back line of the River Hawks stayed strong and shut down any threat on goal. The teams would head into the break scoreless. UMass Lowell tallied four shots on goal while UAlbany had two.
 
Out of the break, UAlbany raised the intensity and put the River Hawks under early pressure. Two free kicks just outside the box went wide of the far post, but the hosts began to string together a few good opportunities. The Great Danes took a 1-0 lead in the 56^th minute as Emily Jozak converted on a corner kick. UMass Lowell did respond with time in the attacking third in the following 10 minutes but could not find an equalizer.
 
UMass Lowell had a great chance to tie the game in the 74^th minute, but Anna Edson saw her shot from distance graze off the top of the crossbar and out. The River Hawks dominated possession late, pinning the Great Danes in their own end once again but could not create any major threat on goal. A corner for the visitors in the 82^nd minute saw the ball pinball around in the box before the UAlbany defense cleared its lines. UAlbany's defense held firm in the closing minutes and the River Hawks fell 1-0 in the conference opener.
"I think any game in this conference is going to be tough. It was physical and every game is going to be like that," added Novak. "The back line was able to shut down their biggest threats all game and I think Emma [Mitchell] had a fantastic game. She shut down one of their strongest players and I'm happy with how the entire back four played today."
 
UMass Lowell returns to action Thursday, September 29 to host Vermont at Cushing Field.