Saturday, April 28th vs. NJIT (1pm)
SENIOR DAY
(Cushing Field; Lowell, Mass.)
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SCOUTING THE RIVER HAWKS: UMass Lowell comes into Saturday afternoon's regular-season finale with a 7-7 overall mark and a 3-3 record in America East play. The River Hawks currently sit in fifth place in the America East standings. UMass Lowell is coming off a 12-11 loss at Stony Brook last Friday night. The River Hawks own a 4-3 home record this season in seven contests at Cushing Field Complex.

Senior attackman Matt Balter (Albany, N.Y.) leads the team with a career-high 26 goals, while Tyrrell leads the River Hawks with a career-high in points (53) and assists (29) and he also ranks second on the team with 24 goals. Jon Phillips (Delta, B.C.) and Austin Lane (Aurora, Ont.) have also amassed 20 goals of the season with 23 and 22, respectively. It marks the first time since joining Div. I that the team has had four 20-goal scorers in the same season.

UMass Lowell has a team ranks second among America East teams with 35.3 shots and 22.5 shots on goal so far this season. The River Hawks also rank second in the conference with 7.0 assists per contest. The River Hawks lead America East with 8.6 caused turnovers per game (9th in NCAA) and also ranks second in America East with 33.4 ground balls per contest, which ranks fifth among Div. I teams. The River Hawks 48% conversion (13 for 27) with an extra man leads all America East teams and comes in at 10th best in the nation.

SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS: NJIT owns a 1-14 overall record coming into Saturday's tilt and are coming off a 15-6 loss at No. 18 Georgetown last Saturday afternoon. Collin Fogerty notched a hat trick in the losing effort for NJIT. The Highlanders own a 0-11 road record this season. Aaron Forster leads the team with 30 goals, 13 assists and 43 points. 

LAST TIME OUT: Senior attackman Sean Tyrrell (Calgary, Alta.) tied a career-high four goals for the River Hawks, but it wasn't enough as they fell to Stony Brook, 12-11 in the America East finale on Friday night at Lavallee Stadium. UMass Lowell junior midfielder Austin Lane (Aurora, Ont.) gave the River Hawks their first lead of the game at 10-9 with 4:53 to go in the third quarter. Lane (4 points) and senior attackman Matt Balter (Albany, N.Y.) each tallied two goals on the night in the loss for UMass Lowell. Balter and Tyrrell each finished the night with a team-high five points. The River Hawks began the game in an 8-0 hole in the first 16:33 of the game, but UMass Lowell stormed back with seven unanswered goals in the second quarter. Freshman goalie Hunter Braun (Hartland, Mich.) stopped 11 saves in his 12th consecutive start for the River Hawks. It marked his 11th game with 10+ saves on the season.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: The River Hawks can clinch their first postseason berth in the America East playoffs with a UMBC loss to Vermont on Friday night, since they own the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Retrievers after a 10-7 win on March 31st at Cushing Field Complex.

HONORING THE SENIORS: UMass Lowell will honor its 10-member senior class prior to Saturday's afternoons contest, which includes attackmen Sean Tyrrell, Matt Balter, along with midfielders Sam Klingsporn (Aloha, Ore.), Jon Phillips, Cory Highfield (Georgetown, Ont.), Jared Zaniewski (Sandwich, Mass.), Brandon Luitwieler (Calgary, Alta.), Zack Schwartz (Huntington, N.Y.), Will Puduski (Westford, Mass.) and defender Bain Schroeder (Ellicott City, Md.). Four-year student manager Brian Porcella (Shrewsbury, Mass.) will also be honored in the pre-game ceremony. The first full Div. I River Hawk graduating class recorded 16 wins in their four seasons in Lowell, which includes a Div. I record seven win and three conference victories in 2018.

BRAUN LEADS THE NATION IN SAVES AND SAVES PER GAME: Freshman goalie Hunter Braun owns a 7-6 record on the season with a 10.74 GAA and a .575 save percentage with 180 saves in 12 starts for the River Hawks in his freshman campaign. His 13.9 saves per game leads the nation and his 180 saves is most of any Div. I goalie in the nation this season. His .575 save percentage ranks third among conference goalies.

BRAUN NOMINATED FOR #AEMLAX FANS' CHOICE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Braun has been nominated for Fans' Choice Player of the Year. Voting is open until Monday, April 30th at 10am. Vote Now!

EXTRA MAN OPPORTUNITIES: The River Hawks lead America East with a 48% EMO conversion rate (13 for 27), which ranks 10th among NCAA Div. I teams. Jon Phillips has scored eight of the 13 EMO goals (62%) for the River Hawks this season through 14 contests.  

AMERICA EAST LEADERS: Sean Tyrrell's 2.1 assists per game ranks second in America East and his 3.8 points per game ranks fourth in the conference. Matt Balter's 1.9 goals per game ranks seventh among America East players. Will Puduski's 2.0 caused turnovers per game leads the league (T-9th in NCAA) and his 4.7 ground balls per game ranks third best in America East. Sam Klingsporn's 6.7 shots per contest ranks fifth among conference players. 

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