View the NE-10 Men's Soccer All-Conference Teams


Senior M Bruno Bonicontro (Marlboro, Mass.) and sophomore F Homero Morais (Somerville, Mass.) earned First Team honors and led seven UMass Lowell men's soccer players named to the Northeast-10 All-Conference Teams, released Thursday morning.

Bonicontro and Morais joined junior midfielders Kyle Garvan (Braintree, Mass.) and Kevin Zapata (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and junior defenders Neil Lavanchy (Scituate, Mass.) and Alex Sindoni (Haverhill, Mass.) on the Second Team; and junior M Daniel Galvin (Attleboro, Mass.) on the Third Team.

UMass Lowell is enjoying one its best seasons in program history with a 13-4-1 overall record and a 10-3-0 clip in the NE-10, good for a share of second place. The River Hawks visit Southern New Hampshire Friday night in the NE-10 Championship semifinal at 7:00.

Lavanchy was cited by the Conference for the third straight year while three River Hawks repeated the honors from last year. Morais was the 2011 NE-10 Rookie of the Year, while Bonicontro was a Third Team selection and Galvin a Second Team pick last year.

Bonicontro and Morais have each enjoyed magnificent seasons and rank highly among NE-10 scorers. With eight goals and five assists, Bonicontro ranks fifth in the Conference and has twice been named the NE-10 Player of the Week.

Morais ranks second among NE-10 leaders with 12 goals and five assists, and has also been named the Player of the Week on two occasions.

Along with Bonicontro and Morais, Galvin ranks among the top 10 scorers in the NE-10 with seven goals and six assists. He scored a pair of goals in UMass Lowell's quarterfinal round victory over Le Moyne Wednesday.

“Many of our players have contributed to the team's ability to score goals this year,” said head coach Christian Figueroa. “Bruno, Dan, and Homero, in particular, have each played a vital role in the success of our offense this year. This is reflected by their standing amongst the top scorers in the Conference.”

Largely for his long throws, Garvan ranks sixth among NE-10 assist leaders with six. He has also added a pair of goals – one in a 3-1 victory over Franklin Pierce and another in a 4-1 victory over Saint Anselm.

“Kyle made a vast improvement this year and became a key contributor in the midfield,” said Figueroa. “He was not only dangerous on restarts, but also played a significant role in creating chances in the final third with his long throws.”

Zapata, a transfer from Massasoit Community College, has had an immediate impact with four goals and three assists, including the game-winner in the final seconds of a 4-3 victory at Assumption.

“Kevin has been a great addition to our group this year, and has been a great fit in our midfield,” Figueroa said. “His maturity has made an immediate impact off the field, and his understanding of the game made the same impact on the field.”

Lavanchy and Sindoni, a converted midfielder, have helped UMass Lowell account for a goals against average of 1.46 (sixth in the Conference) as well as three shutouts.

“Alex and Neil have both been key players in our back line all year long with their play as well as their leadership,” Figueroa noted. “They have both been able to contribute in the attack. But more importantly, they have been very consistent on the defensive side of the ball.”

UMass Lowell, ranked No. 4 in the latest NCAA Division II East Region Poll, is expected to receive an NCAA Tournament bid. The Division II Men's Soccer Selection Show is scheduled for Monday at 5:30 p.m.