(Photo courtesy of Nick Grace) UMass Lowell men’s soccer center back, Louis Dufrachie, on the field.
Danny Podolsky
Connector Editor
“It’s not over.”
Those were the words uttered by Louis Dufrachie in the closing minutes against Manhattan last Friday. Leading the entire way, UML allowed a game-tying score in the 84th minute against the Jaspers.
“We had like three minutes left, and I just said, ‘It’s not over. Keep playing as we know how to do. Don’t rush it, we have time,’” Dufrachie exclaimed.
Turns out, he was right.
With less than a minute remaining, UMass Lowell earned one final corner kick. The play was not designed for Dufrachie, but the 6-foot-4 center back found himself in the right place at the right time. He connected on a header and slipped it past the Jaspers’ goalkeeper in the 90th minute, giving the River Hawks a dramatic 2-1 victory.
Dufrachie immediately ripped off his jersey as his teammates swarmed the French defender. The celebration earned Dufrachie a yellow card, but he was not exactly concerned about the consequences.
“At that moment, I didn’t think about anything, just about the win,” Dufrachie said. “Especially as a center back, when you score a goal, you’re not used to it. I don’t have a celebration, so I just had to take my jersey off and just enjoy it with the team.”
The goal quickly made its way around social media, with Dufrachie seeing notifications and reposts throughout the weekend. For someone whose soccer career has already taken him thousands of miles from home, it was another memorable moment in a journey that began in France.
Dufrachie started playing soccer at just five years old. By 11, he had joined a semi-professional French club and would remain with the organization for several years, progressing through its youth system before reaching the adult level.
At 16, Dufrachie received an opportunity that dramatically changed his career. He traveled to England for trials with Huddersfield Town and said the club wanted him to return to sign a contract. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented that from happening.
For a time, Dufrachie even considered walking away from soccer after finishing his high school days at Lycee Notre Dame Le Menimur High School in Vannes, France. Instead, he and his family eventually decided that coming to the United States offered a can’t-miss opportunity: to continue playing soccer while traveling, improving his English, and most importantly, pursuing an education.
His first stop was Southwestern Christian Community College for a year. Then, he went to Camden County Community College as a sophomore.
The junior college experience proved to be a successful introduction to American soccer. Playing on a roster filled with international athletes, Dufrachie helped Camden County put together a 16-0-1 season in which the team scored more than 100 goals and finished third in the nation last season.
The years of hard work paid off for Dufrachie.
With the help of his agent, Dufrachie eventually found his way to UMass Lowell, where he transferred at the start of the season. The center back had other offers, but conversations with the River Hawks’ coaching staff convinced him Lowell was the right destination.
“I had a call with Coach Kyle [Zenoni], and I had a great feeling. I had another call with all the coaching staff, and I was pretty confident about the project.” Dufrachie explained.
The international makeup of UMass Lowell’s roster has also helped make the transition easier for him. Rather than pointing to one teammate who helped him settle in, Dufrachie credited the entire group. Eighteen of the 31 players are from outside of the U.S., and the team represents 11 different countries.
“Everybody’s helping each other on the team,” he said. “There is a really good atmosphere on the team.”
Dufrachie’s ambitions stretch beyond his time at Lowell. The defender wants to complete his degree but made it no secret that his ultimate goal would be to turn professional in the sport.
For now, however, his attention remains on what the River Hawks can accomplish this fall.
When Dufrachie spoke with us following the Manhattan victory, UMass Lowell had won three consecutive games and was preparing to begin conference play. Since then, the River Hawks have continued to build momentum, as UML opened conference play with a 3-2 victory over UMBC on Saturday, extending their winning streak to four games and improving their overall record to 5-2-2.
Dufrachie believes the team’s improvement has been visible on both ends of the field. The River Hawks’ defense was seen as a strength coming into the season, and they have lived up to their potential so far, allowing only 1.1 goals per game through their first nine fixtures. The offense has been outstanding as well, having scored 11 goals during the current winning streak.
“Everybody’s involved, everybody’s working together, working hard,” Dufrachie said. “I think we can do something really good this year in conference.”
If the River Hawks’ recent form is any indication, his journey — and UMass Lowell’s season — may just be getting started.
The team will look to extend its winning streak to five in its next matchup when it hosts the Great Danes of UAlbany on Saturday. Students and members of the UML community can watch Dufrachie and the River Hawks play at Cushing Field Complex throughout the season.
