THE BASICS:

RESULT: UMass Lowell 1, Hartford 0 (2ot)
RECORDS: Hartford (10-3-4, 4-1-3 AE); UMass Lowell (6-12-0, 3-5-0 AE)
LOCATION: Cushing Field (Lowell, Mass.)

THE LEAD: The America East regular-season champion University of Hartford women's soccer team saw its unbeaten record in conference play get disrupted, as the UMass Lowell River Hawks topped the Hawks in double overtime, 1-0. With 3:56 remaining in the final overtime session, Katelyn Vieira delivered the game-winning tally on a penalty kick to pilot UMass Lowell to a 3-5-0 finish in the conference in both teams' regular season finale. The Hawks, who won the America East regular season title and earned the No. 1 seed in the conference's upcoming tournament by virtue of a Maine loss against Albany, finish their regular season at 4-1-3 and will face the winner of No.4/5 Maine/New Hampshire on Sunday.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

·         Both sides played an even match to start, notching six shots apiece in the opening half. The Hawks kept the River Hawks at bay by blocking three shots before they even reached the net, while junior Aaliyah Ingram posted the only shot on goal during that stretch in the 15th minute, but Julia Schneider made the save for UMass Lowell.

·         In the start of the second half, Hartford was the aggressor. The Hawks attempted the first four shots of that stanza, forcing UMass Lowell to make two saves to keep the match scoreless. The Hawks continued to apply pressure and fired shots at the River Hawks' defense, but in the latter portion of the half, it was UMass Lowell that saw the better of play.

·         Over the final 12 minutes, UMass Lowell held a 4-1 advantage in shots, and forced Hawks' keeper Jessica Jurg into three saves during that span. The two teams would trade shots in the first overtime period, but neither posted a true threat to score during that 10-minute stretch.

·         In the closing minutes of the double overtime period, Katelyn Vieira broke open the scoreless match and ended the Hawks' seven-game unbeaten streak as she beat Jurg and converted on a penalty kick for the River Hawks.    

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

·         Both teams attempted a plethora of shots, but UMass Lowell held a slight 17-16 edge in shots.

·         Three of the Hawks' 17 shots were placed on goal, while the River Hawks had seven on their shots go on target.

·         Between the pipes for Hartford, Jurg came up with six saves, a season-best.

·         For UMass Lowell, Schneider was forced to make saves on two of Hartford's shots.

·         Corner kicks were even on the night as each team attempted three.

NEWS & NOTES:

·         With Maine's 1-0 loss at Albany, Hartford secured its second-straight America East regular season crown.

·         As the tournament's No. 1 seed, the Hawks will host a semifinal contest against the winner of Maine/New Hampshire on Sunday afternoon.

·         The Hawks' 1-0 loss marked the team's first time it was shutout in a contest since the start of America East action.

·         Head coach John Natale is one win short of tying the program's record for all-time wins; he enters the postseason with a 102-85-38 overall record.

UP NEXT:                                                                    
As the top seed in the upcoming America East Championship, the Hawks earn a first-round bye and will host a semifinal game on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. Hartford will play the winner of No. 4 Maine/No. 5 New Hampshire. Against that field, the Hawks drew even with the Black Bears, 1-1, last month before scoring a 2-0 victory against the Wildcats last Thursday.