(Photo Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics) “Graduate Shunnosuke Nakajima clears the ball to the opponents side of the field.”

Tristin Henson

Connector Editor

The River Hawks Men’s soccer team (7-7-4) was eliminated from the playoffs in the American East semifinals on Nov. 12th. They faced off against the No. 2 Bryant Bulldogs (16-1-2), losing 4-2. The start of the match was rough, with Bryant gaining two quick goals in succession at the 00:39 and 4:45 minute mark.

However, it seemed like the tide of the game could potentially shift, as Bryant was not able to make their next goal so easily thanks to No. 24, Jorge Ortega, who was able to block their shots until Bryant scored their next goal at minute 28:41. With two minutes left in the first period, No. 12 Ethan Young was able to secure a goal.

Again, this held a lot of promise. While Bryant had quickly gained the upper hand, they had seemingly used up a lot of their energy in those first couple of minutes, scoring the first few goals. The River Hawks could potentially have had the chance to turn the game around, and gaining that first goal at the end of the first period provided a lot of much-needed morale.

At minute 47:55, No. 4, Aamir Ketbache, secured a goal with a penalty kick. At minute 52:55, No. 10, Iñaki Esnaola, shot at the Bulldogs. No. 24, Jorge Ortega, saved a goal again at minute 61:47. The second half was fast-paced and brutal, but much more active than the first half on the River Hawks’ side, with shot after shot being deflected by both teams.

The River Hawks were pushing, trying their hardest to at least get a tie with Bryant. However, this push also caused a lot of fouls, and while they were called for both teams, they were called more often on the River Hawks’ side. No. 12, Ethan Young, tried to get one more goal on the opposing team at minute 80:36 before he, too, was fouled.

With only 23 seconds left in the game, Bryant unfortunately scored one more goal against the River Hawks. This game was a hard-fought battle, and going against Bryant was no easy feat, sticking on brand with the theme of this season for the River Hawks: perseverance.

Overall, the River Hawks have had a very successful season, coming out as a bit of an underdog team, as this was their first playoff berth and playoff win since 2019.

Head Coach Kyle Zenoni stated, “It’s been an unreal season, we are making progress, and I couldn’t be prouder to be the head coach of this team. The support from our administration, coaches, students, and student-athletes this year was truly special.”

So, what’s next for the men’s soccer team?

Well, it seems they are ready to train hard to come back even stronger and hopefully go even farther next season. As Zenoni put it, “We are getting better. We will continue to grow and push the limits with this program. It was a good season and I’m excited to build on it.”