LOWELL, Mass. – In its final home game of the season on Saturday afternoon at Wicked Blue Field, the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team (4-11, 1-4 AE) broke a program record in single-game goals and took down Vermont 19-18.
 
"This was absolutely our first and best team win, definitely this season, but maybe even in program history," said Head Coach Carissa Medeiros. "UVM has been on fire this year, they are well over .500 and doing fantastic, and we knew this was going to be a tough opponent…I couldn't be prouder of our entire team effort, from goalie to high attack."
 
Prior to the game, the team's 10 seniors were honored for their contributions to the women's lacrosse program: Renee Gonzalez (Long Valley, N.J.), Kristina Keith (East Kingston, N.H.), Paige MacEachern (Lynnfield, Mass.), Kendyl Finelli (Southborough, Mass.), Jane Dudley (Duxbury, Mass.), Megan Albertsen (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), Emily Bellino (Lake Grove, N.Y.), Kelly Moran (Newfields, N.H.), Noelle Lambert (Londonderry, N.H.) and Rebecca Idson (East Atlantic Beach, N.Y.).
 
"Every class is different in their own way, but as a coach, being in it for a decade now, there are classes that stick out more than others sometimes, and this senior class is one of those classes, of just pure enjoyment watching them develop," Medeiros said. "Each one of them is just as important as the next, and they've led not only this year and this team, but they've led the program for four years, and to have this victory for them, I couldn't be more happy for them."
 
In game action, the Catamounts (7-5, 1-4 AE) scored the first goal, but the River Hawks were unfazed, scoring the next five goals with tallies from Hana Caster (North Attleboro, Mass.), Finelli, MacEachern and Keith. Samantha Blair (West Islip, N.Y.) also chipped in a pair in the first half, and the River Hawks jumped out to a 7-3 lead at 14:50.
 
Vermont was able to come back and outscore UMass Lowell by a four-goal margin throughout the rest of the first half, and the teams went into halftime knotted up at 10.
 
The second half featured goals by Cameron McKelvin (Westminster, Md.), Dudley, Keith,
MachEachern, Finelli and Hannah Rose (Framingham, Mass.) Olivia Massena (Cicero, N.Y.) also scored in the half, notching her first career goal.
 
The Catamounts went on a 3-0 run late in the game, and the River Hawks held onto a one-goal lead heading into the final two minutes. The River Hawk defense stayed solid, though, and didn't allow a shot in the closing minutes, eking out the 19-18 win.
 
With nine different River Hawks scoring 19 goals, the team notched its most goals in a single game in program history, surpassing the previous high of 18. MacEachern led with four goals, while Keith and Finelli each had hat tricks.
 
Gonzalez finished the game with nine saves, while Moran led the way with a program-record 10 draw controls.
 
With its home slate at an end, the River Hawks finish their season on the road with games at UMBC and Hartford in the coming weeks.