SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Redshirt freshman Aamir Ketbache (Frankfurt am Main, Germany) scored the first goal of his career, as the No. 6 UMass Lowell men's soccer team (7-7-4) fell to the No. 2 Bryant Bulldogs (16-1-2), 4-2, in the America East Semifinals.

"Congrats to Bryant and wishing them all the best moving forward," said Head Coach Kyle Zenoni. "I thought we came out a bit nervous in the first half and got punished badly for it. The response by the guys in the second was great. We scored two quick goals and had a one-on-one to make it 3-3, but their goalkeeper made a great save. It then turned out to be a great game, and I thought we had them in the second half a bit, but just could not find that third goal. It's been an unreal season, we are making progress, and I couldn't be prouder to be the head coach of this team. The support from our administration, coaches, students, and student-athletes this year was truly special."

Ketbache, who was one of two goal scorers for the River Hawks, played all 90 minutes on the defensive end for UMass Lowell. Junior Ethan Young (Kansas City, Mo.) added a goal as well, while seniors Oscar Perez (Sagunto, Spain) and Iñaki Esnaola (Junin, Argentina) each added a shot on goal. In net, graduate student Jorge Ortega (Tijuana, B.C., Mexico) finished with four saves.

The Bulldogs started the game strong on the offensive end, taking the early lead only 39 seconds in. Moments later, they added another goal to make it 2-0 less than five minutes in. Starting to settle in, the River Hawks found their footing defensively, allowing only two shots over the next 15 minutes, while adding one of their own off the foot of sophomore Matteo Costa (Frankfurt am Main, Germany), but the Bulldogs added another, extending the lead to 3-0 in the 29^th minute.

Looking to claw back into the game, UMass Lowell found their best opportunity of the first half in the 43^rd minute and was sure to capitalize on it. Racing down the field in a one-on-one situation, Young collected a deep pass before bolting past the Bulldogs' defender. Though he was nearly tripped up, the junior was able to lift a shot over the hands of the diving keeper, cutting the deficit to 3-1 heading into halftime.

Coming out of the break, the River Hawks earned another scoring opportunity right away, as junior Linus Musielak (Dortmund, Germany) drew a foul in the box to earn a penalty kick. Although the goalie rejected the shot, Ketbache was right there, sending a rebound shot into the back of the net to make it a one-goal game with over 40 minutes to play. Moments later, Esnaola nearly found the equalizer on the breakaway, but a diving effort by Bryant's goaltender kept the River Hawks off the board.

With the season on the line, UMass Lowell continued to battle, constantly putting pressure on the hosts' defense. The Bulldogs, however, were up for the challenge, not allowing another shot on goal, before adding a goal in the final seconds, sealing the 4-2 decision.

"It's hard to say goodbye to such an amazing group of seniors," added Zenoni. "They have seen it all with me, and I am honored to be a part of their college journey. I love these guys and am grateful for them. I also want to say thank you to Jason, Diego, Ryan, and Hailey, as they put in so many hours to help the program compete at the highest level. We are getting better. We will continue to grow and push the limits with this program. It was a good season and I'm excited to build on it."

The River Hawks finish the 2025 campaign with a 7-7-4 overall record, while earning their first playoff berth and playoff win since the 2019 season.