BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – Emily Nelson (Peabody, Mass.) scored three goals in 15 minutes on Sunday afternoon at Bearcats Sports Complex, propelling the UMass Lowell women's soccer team (4-6-4, 2-1-1 AE) to a 3-1 win against Binghamton (5-6-2, 1-2-1 AE).
 
"It was a fantastic win for us," said interim head coach Mira Novak. "Obviously, we didn't start the way we wanted, conceding a goal early, but the team really showed resilience, and the players kept their composure and kept playing the way we asked them to, and we scored three really good team goals."
 
Binghamton struck just eight minutes into the game, with a goal by the team's leading scorer, Kayla Saager, but Nelson responded in the 19^th minute, cutting back after a corner and scoring from 22 yards out.
 
Her next goal came in the 26^th minute, with a header off a cross by Katelyn Vieira (Warwick, R.I.) from the right side. Then, in the 35^th minute, Nelson tallied her third goal of the game off a breakaway, and the River Hawks held on to win 3-1.
 
"Emily found a way to be at the end of some of our attacking moves, and I have to compliment the players around her who prepared the chances for her, like Rachel Morrier and Kate Vieira and Kristina Bartsch," Novak said.
 
Nelson is the first River Hawk to tally a hat trick since Vieira did it in 2015 against Quinnipiac.
She now has seven goals on the season, which leads all River Hawk players.
 
Julia Schneider (Bridgewater, Mass.) had a strong showing as well, making five saves and moving into second place all-time in saves at UMass Lowell.
 
Until the game against UMass Lowell, Binghamton hadn't allowed a single goal on home turf this season. The River Hawks also handed the Bearcats their first home loss of 2018.
 
Seven River Hawks played all 90 minutes, with six different players attempting shots. Binghamton held the edge in shots (14 to 10), shots on goal (7 to 4) and corners (6 to 2), but Nelson's standout performance made the difference for UMass Lowell. The game marked the first time this season that the River Hawks have ceded the first goal but gone on to win the match.
 
The River Hawks continue their America East campaign on Thursday, returning home for Pink Night against Maine at 7 p.m.