Nov. 4, 2009

Kelly Soper, a senior from Auburn, MA (St. Peter Marian H.S.) was named the UMass Lowell/Lowell Five Savings Bank Athlete of the Week Tuesday after guiding the River Hawks to a 1-0 victory over Stonehill Sunday in the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament quarterfinal round.

Soper broke a 0-0 deadlock in the 62nd minute with a highlight reel goal, in which she received a pass from senior D Jenna McIntosh (Johnstown, NY) and split a pair of defenders down the left side of the box before tucking inside the far post.

The goal was Soper’s fourth of the season and 11th of her career.

With the victory, No. 3-seeded UMass Lowell visits No. 2 Franklin Pierce Thursday at 4:00 in the semifinal. The winner advances to the NE-10 Championship match Sunday against either No. 1 Saint Rose or No. 4 Merrimack – at the site of the higher seed.

Sunday’s victory matched the school record for wins in a single season for UMass Lowell (12-4-3).

A nursing major, Soper is the daughter of Ken and Susan Soper of Auburn, MA.

The Lowell Five Savings Bank, with 14 locations throughout the Merrimack Valley, is a proud sponsor of UMass Lowell Athletics.

The UMass Lowell Athlete of the Week is selected by the four members of University’s Athletic Media Relations office.