BURLINGTON, Vt. – Freshman Nora Belin (Stockholm, Sweden) recorded the lone goal of the match with just over a minute to play, as the UMass Lowell women's soccer team (5-5-4, 2-2-2 AE) fought to a 1-0 victory against the Vermont Catamounts (6-4-4, 4-1-1 AE) in its sixth conference game of the season on Sunday afternoon.
"Super happy with the win," said head Coach Mira Novak. "This team has been so close to so many results, and didn't get rewarded on Thursday. We tied as a result of a freakish goal. I thought it was a little unfortunate we didn't get all three points on Thursday, so I'm glad that it broke our way today. You look at the game, it all came down to the last five minutes. Vermont had a huge chance where they had two or three shots, one hitting the crossbar, and Rachel helped us. Everybody who came back to defend, they were willing to put their body on the line. We knew that we would get one more shot, one more chance that we can do something with it. And I'm glad we kept cool heads, we kept finding the right pass, and same thing like in our box, we put the bodies on the line. Nora sliding in, and scoring the winning goal was a great reward for all the hard work the team did, not just today, but in a lot of the games before. Very happy, this was a fantastic Vermont team that hasn't lost a game in conference yet. So, we really had to go all out at the end of this crazy week when we played the #1 seed Binghamton, Vermont away here, and Maine who are two-time champions."
UMass Lowell took a variety of shots, outshooting Vermont, 19-13, while also leading 7-4 in corners taken. Freshman Emma Theorén (Sollentuna, Vällingby) and senior Hilary Jaén (Las Margaritas, Panama) each tallied an assist on Belin's goal, while sophomore Rachel Welch (Franklin, Mass.) started in goal for the River Hawks, registering four saves and her fourth clean sheet of the season.
The Catamounts opened the game by firing two shots at the goal in the first 10 minutes, but the River Hawks stayed connected on defense, not allowing Vermont to get a solid scoring chance. The visitors earned their first opportunity of the game in the 16th minute when redshirt-freshman Nina Hertz-Saebbö (Gothenburg, Sweden) ran to open space, ripping a shot right inside the box, but the home side's keeper stepped in front to make a save. Vermont answered quickly with a shot of their own from far outside the box, launching the ball high in the air, but Welch was able to reach up to grab a clutch save and keep things scoreless.
For the next 20 minutes, the River Hawks took four shots, with two flying at the net, but the Catamounts' keeper shut it down, as the score remained 0-0 with 10 minutes until the break. Both sides stayed secure defensively the rest of the half, keeping the contest tied at the break.
UMass Lowell opened the second half with a few shot attempts in the first three minutes, as Hertz-Saebbö struck a powerful shot on the right side of the box, but the home keeper blocked the shot. Belin, quick on her feet, collected the rebound before firing off a shot of her own, but it flew just right of the net. In the 61st minute, the River Hawks found another opportunity when sophomore Gaby Eckroth (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) found Theorén running down the left, who collected the pass inside the box, before taking a chip shot that soared just by the right post for a near goal. Moments later, the Catamounts thought they had a great attempt of their own, but Welch stretched for yet another impressive save, keeping the score at 0-0.
Fighting to keep the opposition off the board, Welch continued to impress in net for the River Hawks, making two huge saves before the 80th minute. With time ticking away and the score still tied, Vermont took two shots in the 87th minute, but an amazing defensive stand, including a blocked shot by freshman Ava Kopicko (Nashua, N.H.), helped keep the River Hawks alive.
With only one chance remaining for the River Hawks, Jaén located Theorén, who drifted to the left of the goal, spotting a cutting Belin who tapped in the game-winning goal in the 89th minute, cementing the 1-0 victory for UMass Lowell.
The River Hawks return to Cushing Field next Sunday, October 26, when they host UAlbany on Senior Day. The contest will begin at 12:00 p.m. in Lowell, Massachusetts. Admission is free all season thanks to Eastern Salt and Mahoney Oil.
"Glad to be finishing this hard week on a great note, and now we have a week to get ready for the final stretch of the season," said Novak.
