Box Score
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LOWELL, Mass. - The UMass Lowell field hockey team (5-13, 0-5) battled valiantly on Friday afternoon, despite dropping a 3-2 overtime decision against America East Conference opponent Fairfield University (7-11, 2-3) in the squad's Halloween matinee at Wicked Blue Field.
 
"I thought the overall effort on our part was excellent," said Head Coach Shannon Hlebichuk. "We executed the game plan exactly how we planned the last couple of days. Christa (Doiron) stepped up today as a freshman. She was hungry to score and she put two in to put us in a great position to stay competitive the entire game. We hope to take the energy and competitiveness that we played with today into our game against St. Louis tomorrow so we can send our seniors off on a good note."
 
UMass Lowell recorded a season-high 27 shots as a team in the outing. The squad controlled the pace of play in the opening minutes of the contest and senior Bianca Jones (Watertown, Mass.) put the first two attempts on target, but both were batted away by the opposing keeper. Fairfield followed with three penalty corners in a three minute stretch, however freshman goalkeeper Kelsey Federico (Windham, N.H.), who notched a personal-best 13 saves, and the River Hawks' back line extinguished each opportunity to keep the game scoreless.
 
The River Hawks took an early advantage during a scramble in front of the cage with just over 20 minutes remaining in the first half. Jones was able to put her stick on the ball and push a short pass over to freshman Christa Doiron (Worcester, Mass.) for the tap-in, making the score 1-0.
 
The Stags earned two more corners that they were unable to capitalize on before Jones dribbled the ball all the way down the field and sent a shot into the stick of the last defender. The visitors created a couple chances in the waning minutes of the half, but the UMass Lowell defense continued their solid play, allowing the home team to take its 1-0 lead into the break.
 
Coming out of halftime, the River Hawks did not waste any time extending their margin to 2-0, as Doiron broke free from the pack and chipped a shot up over the falling keeper.
 
Less than six minutes later, the Stags were able to retaliate and get on the board when Ann Burgoyne collected a rebound before scoring on the put-back.
 
UMass Lowell threatened with back-to-back chances on target from freshman Katie Luchino (Freehold, N.J.) and Jones, followed by a pair of corners. Fairfield then knotted the score at 2-2 with 20 minutes remaining on a corner goal by Kaitlyn Taddeo near the left post.
 
The teams traded possession as the minutes ticked down with the River Hawks pressuring on a handful of opportunities, including a last-second corner during which junior Marzana Fiedtkou (Georgetown, Guyana) slapped a shot that sailed wide to send the game into overtime.
 
The home squad tallied two shots and a corner in the first overtime, although Fairfield would notch the game-winner when Taddeo dished a short pass ahead to Burgoyne, who maneuvered the ball between Federico's pads to seal the 3-2 decision in extra time.
 
Friday's contest marked the 11th meeting between the two squads in the sport of field hockey. The River Hawks still lead the all-time series, 8-3. UMass Lowell will close out the 2014 season against Saint Louis University on Senior Day tomorrow, November 1, beginning at 2 p.m.