Boxscore

RINDGE, N.H. – Junior defender Ancil Farrier (Los Bajos, Trinidad) scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season on Thursday night, but the No. 21 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University men's soccer team lost in penalty kicks to No. 12 nationally ranked Massachusetts-Lowell in the first round of the NCAA Championship at Sodexho Field. The game went into the books as a 1-1 draw, with the River Hawks advancing 3-2 on penalty kicks. Massachusetts-Lowell moves to 12-3-4 on the season and advances to meet either Franklin Pierce or Le Moyne on Saturday, while SCSU closes out its season at 14-2-5.

The Owls struck for a 1-0 lead early on in the first half. In the fifth minute, sophomore midfielder Michael DiBartolomeo (Wallingford, Conn.) struck a corner kick for SCSU. Farrier volleyed the ball from the top of the six-yard box into the right side of the net, beyond the reach of Massachusetts-Lowell keeper Ryan Richards.

SCSU would have a chance to extend the lead to 2-0 just over eight minutes later when senior defender Jonathan Amable (Croton on Hudson, N.Y.) found himself with the ball in a one-on-one situation against the keeper in the 13th minute from just outside the six-yard box. However, his shot sailed high over the crossbar and resulted in a goal kick for Massachusetts-Lowell.

The next 20 minutes of the game would go without a notable chance until the River Hawks knotted things up 1-1. In the 33rd minute, Jhony Valencia served the ball into the box from the left side. Jamie Wangia was waiting for it at the top of the six-yard box when it landed and one-touched it past SCSU senior goalkeeper Brendan Lawless (Orleans, Mass.) and into the net for the equalizer. The goal was the sixth of the season for the Massachusetts-Lowell midfielder. The remainder of the first half would go without a goal, as the teams took a 1-1 tie into the lockerroom with the River Hawks enjoying a 5-3 shots advantage.

The two teams would then play over an hour of scoreless soccer, as the second half and both overtime periods went without a goal. SCSU had one of the best chances to break the tie in the 65th minute. Again it was Amable who had the opportunity, as he found the ball at his feet eight yards in front of the cage after a scramble inside the box. However, Richards made a sprawling save off a well-struck shot to maintain the 1-1 tie.

The Owls also had a strong chance in the waning moments of the second overtime. With less than 20 seconds to play, senior forward Colin Jackson (Hartford, Conn.) had the ball on the left side on a counterattack and was one-on-one against a River Hawk defender. However, Jackson's shot attempt sailed well wide and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. Massachusetts-Lowell held a 7-3 shots advantage in the second half, a 4-3 edge over the two overtime frames and enjoyed a 16-9 advantage over the entire match.

With the game tied through 110 minutes of play, both keepers earned draws for their efforts on the evening. Lawless made six saves for SCSU while Richards made three saves in front of the net for Massachusetts-Lowell.

In the penalty kicks, both Richards and Lawless began with a save before four consecutive attempts were scored, two for each side. In the fourth round, Richards made a save on SCSU junior midfielder Marcelo Mena (New Haven, Conn.) while Lawless was beaten by Stephen Potcner to give the River Hawks a 3-2 edge. Richards then made a save against junior defender Ricardo Garcia (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) to propel Massachusetts-Lowell onto Saturday's regional round.