FINAL SCORE: #23 Vermont 2, UMass Lowell 1
BURLINGTON, Vt. – No. 23 Vermont (9-2-4, 4-1-1 AE) returned to the win column thanks to two goals by Yaniv Bazini and Maximilian Kissel as they topped UMass Lowell (6-4-5, 1-3-2) 2-1 Friday in their final road contest of the regular season.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score
Highlights
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"A lot of very good performances off the bench including Lockermann," said Head Coach Rob Dow. "With UML playing for their season we knew it would be a tough game. Credit to the defense for stepping up and making big plays over and over. Looking forward to playing for a title Tuesday."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Catamounts came out firing on Friday afternoon. UMass Lowell's JR Gawel made five saves in the opening 16 minutes for the River Hawks. He stopped two dangerous headers from Yaniv Bazini and David Ismail before making a diving stop on Marcell Papp in the 16th minute.
• Vermont found the back of the net in the 21st minute. The Catamounts press forced a turnover around midfield and UVM pounced in transition. Sydney Wathuta got the ball to Papp and he sent it right back to Wathuta on the wing. As Wathuta raced the down the field he played a great cross to Bazini who headed the ball perfectly into the far corner for his sixth goal of the season. It was Wathuta's conference-leading 10th assist of the year.
• In the 78th minute Bazini setup for a free kick just outside the box to Gawel's right. Bazini went for goal and Gawel made another key stop. But the Catamounts would find their insurance marker on the ensuing open play.
• The River Hawks waould clear the ball initially, but Vermont stayed on the attack. Ioannis Vassiliou played the ball back towards the box and Max Murray headed it towards the UML net. Maximilian Kissel chased the ball down just before it went behind for a goal kick. He evaded a UML defender with one touch and then poked it towards goal. Gawel dove at the ball and missed it, then from the ground Kissel poked it home for his team-leading seventh goal of the year.
• There was no give up from the River Hawks, in the 86th minute they earned a penalty kick. Yanis Lakhlifi earned the PK after going down after some light physical contact with a UVM defender while pursuing the through ball.
• He beat Niklas Herceg, for his team-leading fifth goal of the season with a high-hard shot to Herceg's left.
• In the dying seconds of the match UML almost equalized. With a ball bouncing around in traffic Lowell's Rui Aoki let a shot go from inside the box and Herceg had to dive with a full-extension to parry it away and preserve the Catamounts fourth league win of the season.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Catamounts offense and depth has come through time and time again this season. UVM has scored 12 goals in the 76th minute or later.
• With Vermont's win this afternoon they have now won at least four conference games in nine straight seasons dating back to 2016.
• The Catamounts .733 win percentage this season is tied for 17th best in the NCAA.
• With the win, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to Vermont Children's Trust Foundation as part of the Cats Wins, Community Wins Initiative.

UP NEXT
The Catamounts close out the regular season hosting Binghamton on Tuesday, November 5 at 6 p.m. from Virtue Field. Fans can purchase tickets for that matchup at go.uvm.edu/nov5. The action from will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Ryan Zimmerman on the call.
For news and updates about the Vermont men's soccer program, follow @UVMmsoccer on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and visit UVMathletics.com.

EastRise Credit Union is the presenting sponsor of Vermont soccer