(.PDF) | Highlights | Stephenson Postgame

LOWELL, Mass. – Junior midfielder Jon Phillips (Delta, B.C.) netted his second career hat trick for the UMass Lowell Men's Lacrosse team, but the River Hawks fell to Ivy League foe Harvard, 14-9, in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon at Cushing Field Complex.

The River Hawks drop to 0-2 on the season, while the Crimson win their season opener.

"I thought it was a good game, we were in it in the fourth quarter battling it out," said Head Coach Ed Stephenson. "We had a chance to get within two late in the game and we just couldn't make that move. I am very pleased with our progess from last week to this week, to be in the game against that team in the fourth quarter, they are a very talented team and I am pleased with that, we made some improvement."

Phillips finished the game with a team-high eight shots.  

Harvard's Morgan Cheek opened the scoring just 1:41 into the game and Dalton Follows scored for the Crimson less than a minute later to make it a 2-0 game, but the River Hawks stormed back with back-to-back goals just eight seconds apart by Sam Klingsporn (Aloha, Ore.) and Blaine McMahon (New Milford, Conn.).

Sean Tyrrell (Calgary, Alta.) and Austin Lane (Aurora, Ont.) tallied goals for UMass Lowell in the second quarter. The River Hawks trailed at halftime by a 7-4 score. Tyrrell finished the game with a team-high four points (1g,3a), while Lane finished the game with two goals.

Co-Captain Will Puduski (Westford, Mass.) added his second goal of the season with 3:36 left in the third quarter.

The River Hawks held the Crimson to just two goals in the final quarter.

Sophomore goaltender Grant Lardieri (Ada, Mich.) made a career-high 17 stops against the Crimson, which included 10 saves in the second half. Robert Shaw recorded seven saves for the Crimson in the victory, while Jack Corbett played the final 30 minutes in relief making four saves.

The River Hawks recorded nine shots in each quarter, for a total of 36 in the contest. Freshman defender Colin Kasner (Crofton, Md.) led the River Hawks with a team-high six groundballs.

UMass Lowell returns to the field for non-conference action on Saturday, February 25 vs. Siena. Game time from Cushing Field Complex is 1 p.m.