Box Score (PDF)

LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell field hockey team (8-8, 2-3 AE) was able to tally a goal in each half, but faced a 4-2 setback against No. 20 UAlbany (9-5, 4-1 AE) on Sunday afternoon.
 
"Albany showed why they are in the top 20 today," said Head Coach Shannon Hlebichuk. "They certainly elevated their game since we last played them. I didn't think we were especially sharp today, but I don't think we had a bad game. Overall, I think we learned what we need to work on this week and take with us on our trips to Maine and New Hampshire next weekend."
 
Freshman Clara Defourt (Brussels, Belgium) paced the River Hawks with a goal and an assist for three points in the decision, while classmate Sophie Gehrels (Zeist, Utrecht, Netherlands) added a goal of her own. Sophomore goalkeeper Eva Berkhout (Amersfoort, Utrecht, Netherlands) totaled nine saves, as well.
 
The offense quickly went to work on both ends of the field with the first goal of the game coming in just the ninth minute when the Great Danes' Ghislaine Beerkens fought for control of the ball near the top of the circle before dribbling around Berkhout and sweeping a shot into an open cage.
 
The River Hawks answered less than three minutes later, though, as Gehrels tipped a pass from Defourt on cage on the team's first corner opportunity. The stalemate persisted until the 29th minute, but Kelsey Bridell would collect her own rebound on a corner and lifted a shot up into the net to give the visitors a 2-1 advantage at the break.
 
Coming out of halftime, UAlbany extended its lead to 4-1 with a pair of goals in a 15-minute span. Beerkens tallied her second score of the outing in the 38th minute on a back-handed dribbler before Camryn Dias redirected a hard ball from Dana Bozek on target in the 50th minute.
 
UMass Lowell closed the margin back to two on a penalty stroke goal by Defourt in the 59th minute, although the visitors held on to seal the 4-2 outcome.
 
Sunday's contest marked the 12th meeting between UMass Lowell and UAlbany in the sport of field hockey. The Great Danes still own an 11-1 lead in the all-time series. The River Hawks will play a pair of America East road tilts next week beginning at Maine on Friday, October 20 at 3 p.m.