River Hawks sweep Bentley

UMass Lowell men win 3-2; women take 1-0 decision

October 5, 2008

Senior Jamie Wangia scored off two corner kicks – including the game-winner in the 68th minute – to lead the UMass Lowell men’s soccer team over Bentley, 3-2, Saturday afternoon in a Northeast-10 Conference men’s soccer clash in Waltham.

Wangia broke a 2-2 deadlock when his header off a corner kick by senior Matias Pietropinto deflected in off a Falcon defender.

Wangia opened the scoring in the 15th minute when he headed in a corner kick from junior Jhony Valencia.

Bentley leveled just three minutes later when senior Chris Lipsett found freshman Eric Heuse, who tucked a shot by UML junior keeper Ryan Richards (Holden, MA) from the right side of the box.

Sophomore Stephen Potcner restored UMass Lowell’s lead in the 34th minute with his third goal in as many matches. Freshman Alex Sindoni controlled a loose ball in the midfield and chipped a through ball to Potcner on the left side, who tucked inside the far post.

Heuse returned the favor to Lipsett in the 49th to bring Bentley even once again. Heuse found Lipsett on the left side of the box, whose attempt sailed inside the far post.

UMass Lowell outshot the Falcons 15-9 overall and 9-7 on target. Richards had five saves for the River Hawks while Michael Nikiforov turned away six shots.

With the win, the River Hawks improved to 4-2-3 overall and 3-1-2 in the NE-10 entering Wednesday’s home clash against Franklin Pierce (7:00). Bentley slipped to 4-6-1 overall and 1-5-1 in the NE-10, and returns to action Wednesday with a road game at Stonehill. Kickoff is 3:30 p.m.

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In the women’s game between the same two schools, junior Kelly Soper scored the lone goal in the 55th minute as Umass Lowell defeated Bentley, 1-0.

Junior keeper Jamie Gillis went untested en route to her fourth clean sheet of the season and 21st for her career. Bentley sophomore keeper Kara Smith stopped six shots.

Soper had three chances to score within the first 20 minutes, two of which were cleared off the line by Falcon defenders. She broke the drought in the 55th minute when freshman Maddy Bissaillon played a ball through the defense that Soper tucked inside the right post.

The River Hawks nearly went ahead 2-0 in the 72nd when senior Natalia Mendoza meandered into the left side of the box and tucked her attempt agonizingly wide of the right post.

With the win, the River Hawks improved to 5-3-3 overall and 4-2-3 in the NE-10 entering Tuesday’s clash at Franklin Pierce (6 p.m.). The Falcons slipped to 3-8-1 overall and 1-5-1 in the Conference and host Stonehill Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.

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