Box Score (PDF)

LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell field hockey team (8-10, 2-6 AE) scored four, second-half goals, but were unable to hold off No. 15 Maine (14-4, 5-3 AE) in a 5-4, double-overtime decision to close out the 2018 season on Senior Day.
 
"This is the toughest game I've had to coach in my 17 years because everything was on the line for us today and the team showed up exactly as I had hoped," said Head Coach Shannon Hlebichuk. "Maine is a very good team, but for us to go down two goals and never give in exemplified the Lowell mentality and character, and it was amazing to watch. I can't say enough about the effort that the team displayed today."
 
The River Hawks and Black Bears battled for opportunities in the early part of the first half before Maine would get on the scoreboard in the 27th minute when Libby Riedl sent a cross to the far post for Brittany Smith's one-timer on cage.
 
Coming out of halftime, the Black Bears extended their margin to 2-0 on a corner attempt in the 38th minute thanks to Brianna Ricker's deflection. However, less than 50 seconds later, senior Torrie Huk (Milford, Del.) ignited the River Hawks' offense, scoring the first of four goals in the next 17 minutes.
 
Classmate Brooke Roberts (Medway, Mass.) followed with her first goal of the season on a rocket from the wing during a corner to knot the score at 2-2, while freshman Jenna Berger (Waterloo, Ontario), who led the team with three points on the day, and junior Morgan Irons (Bordentown, N.J.) each found the back of the cage unassisted, giving the home squad a 4-2 edge in the 55th minute.
 
Maine regained the momentum, though, converting on a pair of corners in the final five minutes of regulation to force overtime. After seeing chance on both ends in the first extra period, Maine ended the game just eight seconds into the second when Casey Crowley dished a pass to Ricker on a breakaway for the slap shot that sealed the 5-4 outcome.
 
The Black Bears are now 13-1-1 all-time against UMass Lowell.
 
Prior to Sunday's season finale, the River Hawks honored Huk, Roberts, Alex Loblundo (Acton, Mass.), Allyssa Moser (Mertztown, Pa.) and Carleen O'Connell (Madison, N.J.) with a special Senior Day ceremony.
 
"This is the most selfless group of seniors we've had in a long time," commented Hlebichuk. "They've been through some challenging times and tough seasons, like this one, and they never lost sight of what the priority was. They provided leadership by example and vocally, and I can't thank them enough for their contributions to this program."