Box Score

Sophomore F Bianca Jones (Watertown, Mass.) scored three goals in the first half to lead No. 5 UMass Lowell over Bellarmine University, 4-1, Saturday afternoon in a non-conference field hockey match at Cushing Field.

The win was the third straight for UMass Lowell, which improved to 13-2 entering Tuesday night's key Northeast-10 Conference match against No. 7 Merrimack College (7:00).

Bellarmine slipped to 4-7 overall and visits Mercy College Sunday at 1:00.

Jones scored her first two just two minutes apart, the first in the 12^th minute when junior F Melissa Effertz (Oceanside, Calif.) found senior M Vanessa Kent (Charlton, Mass.), who tipped through the crease to Jones, who finished nicely.

In the 14^th senior M Emily Painten (Walpole, Mass.) found Jones with a pass near the left post, which she slotted with emphasis into the top right corner of the cage.

Jones sealed the hat trick just 42 seconds from the half as Bellarmine goalkeeper Alex Moro did well to save a blast from Effertz, but Jones was there for the rebound.

Bellarmine enjoyed a good spell of possession to start the second half and its persistence paid off in the 40^th minute. Senior M Moriah Facktor sent a cross to sophomore F Meghan Williams in front of the cage, which Williams stroked home to cut the deficit to 3-1.

UMass Lowell was assessed a penalty stroke seven minutes later, which junior F Rachel McCarthy (Reading, Mass.) stroked into the top right corner of the goal.

UMass Lowell outshot the Knights 18-6 overall (9-3 on target) and enjoyed a 13-4 edge on penalty corners. Moro had three saves after replacing sophomore GK Paris Bryant in the 22^nd minute. Bryant stopped two shots.

Junior GK Melanie Hopkins (Harwich, Mass.) had two saves for the River Hawks.