LOWELL, Mass. – Graduate student Marissa Saucedo (Ventura, Calif.) came up clutch for the River Hawks, scoring the solo goal with graduate student Taylor Burgess (Mendon, Mass.) recording a career-high of 12 saves to lift UMass Lowell (5-9-3, 4-3-1 AE) past Bryant (5-8-3, 3-4-1 AE), 1-0, in the final regular season match of the season on Thursday evening at Cushing Field.  

Before the contest, UMass Lowell honored its seniors and graduate students for their dedication to the program. With the Senior Night victory, the team secured the No. 4 seed and a home quarterfinal match to start the 2024 America East Championship on November 3.

"We were under a lot of pressure, I think Bryant played a great game," said Head Coach Mira Novak. "I give credit to our team today for pushing through and finding a way to win. One moment decided the game and today we were the lucky ones. I'm really happy for the team on Senior Day to finish on a win and clinch a home game for playoffs." 

Graduate student Taylor Burgess (Mendon, Mass.) stood tall for the River Hawks, making 12 saves, with multiple exceptional stops.  

Bryant outshot the River Hawks, 18-10, as graduate student Calliste Brookshire (Kingston, Mass.) led UMass Lowell with three shots.  

The first several minutes of the contest fluctuated possession between teams, trying to find opportunities. 

The River Hawks would supply back-to-back shots in the 15th minute, putting pressure on the Bulldogs. First, senior Lærke Niklasson (Roskilde, Denmark) had a great ball, but it was barely saved by the fingertips of the keeper. Sophomore Marissa Sage (Milford, N.H.) would follow with a rocket of a shot left of the goalpost.  

In the 23rd minute, senior Laura Cetina (A Coruña, Galicia, Spain) raced through the box and threw her body in front of the ball to stop a dangerous shot, keeping Burgess on her feet. 

Brookshire was due for a shot in the 27th minute, as she struck the ball with great power, but it sailed over the net.  

As halftime arrived, neither team could break past the keepers, resulting in an even score at the end of the first 45 minutes.  

Charging into the second half, senior Hope Santaniello (Agawam, Mass.) made a perfect cross to Cetina, who took a shot on net, but it was grabbed by Bryant's keeper in the 66th minute. 

Junior Megan Banzi (Plymouth, Mass.) was up next, able to get of the piece of the ball, heading it towards goal, but missing just right of the post in the 73rd minute. Santaniello then broke away from the pack, taking a shot on the run at the 79th-minute mark, and soaring the ball over the goal.  

With time still left on the clock and the River Hawks eager to score, freshman Gaby Eckroth (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) retrieved the ball as it bounced off a defender, shuffling a pass to Saucedo, who ripped a shot past the keeper with her non-dominant foot in the 85th minute to give the River Hawks the late 1-0 lead.

With this win, the River Hawks are headed to the America East Quarterfinals on Sunday, Nov. 3, with a rematch against the Bulldogs of Bryant set for 3 p.m. at Cushing Field.