Oct. 4, 2011

Box Score | Post game with coach Hlebichuk

Photo Gallery

Sophomore Ali Ferraro (Kingston, N.Y.)scored once and had three assists as the red-hot River Hawks shutout St. Michael's, 6-0, on Tuesday night at Cushing Field.

UMass Lowell field hockey pushes its winning streak to 11 games as it improves to 11-1 overall and a perfect 5-0 in Northeast-10 action. The Purple Knights' slide continues as they fell to 2-10 on the year and 1-3 in conference play.

"We knew St. Michael's would come in playing really solid defense," said head coach Shannon Hlebichuk. "They definitely stepped it up and made us work for every single goal tonight which is good because we need to be tested, build some character and learn how to play against good defensive teams."

The River Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 advantage with two goals in the first five minutes of play, scored 69 seconds apart.

In the third minute, Kayla Littig (Carver, Mass.)carried into the circle and had her initial shot blocked. With the defender momentarily stunned, Littig recovered the loose ball and ripped a shot passed the goalkeeper for her seventh tally of the season.

UMass Lowell came right back in the fourth minute as Ferraro broke into the zone and, as the keeper approached to defend, Ferraro dished to Emily Painten (Walpole, Mass.)on the far side for her sixth goal of the year.

The River Hawk defense stifled most of Saint Michael's advances before they entered the circle, but Melanie Hopkins (Harwich, Mass.)was put to work in the 23rd minute. On a fast break, Cassaundra Davis (Newburyport, Mass.) tested Hopkins with a shot low and away, but the goalkeeper made a diving stop to keep her shutout intact.

UMass Lowell wore down the Purple Knights' defense in the second half, scoring four more goals.

Reigning NE-10 Player of the Week Rachel McCarthy (Reading, Mass.) got things going in the 40th minute with her 16th goal of the season. Ferraro delivered a corner to Melissa Effertz (Oceanside, Calif.), who tapped a pass to McCarthy on her left for the score.

On another corner just under two minutes later, Effertz simply put one in the net herself for her ninth tally of the season from Ferraro, pushing the lead to 4-0. After picking up assists on three of the four River Hawk goals, Ferraro scored a tally of her own at 56:14, assisted by Effertz.

The final score of the evening came in the 64th minute as McCarthy collected a pass from Abby Auld (Waltham, Mass.)and blasted a shot through the defense for her league-leading 17th goal of the year.

For the night, Hopkins made just one save as she improved to 11-1 on the season. St. Michael's Jackie Stacey (West Windsor, Vt.) dropped to 2-8 on the campaign as she stopped just 7-of-13 shots on goal. UMass Lowell outshot the Purple Knights, 24-6 on the evening.

The River Hawks stay active this week, traveling to Bentley on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Franklin Pierce on Saturday at 1 p.m.