Box Score

LOWELL, Mass. – Backed by goals from three different scorers, the UMass Lowell field hockey team (1-0) won its sixth consecutive season opener with a 3-0 victory against Fairfield (0-1) on Friday afternoon.
 
"I thought we had a complete performance today," said Head Coach Shannon Hlebichuk. "From start to finish, all 60 minutes, we were bought into achieving our ultimate goal of winning the game. From our backfield to our mids to our forwards, we were just connecting on all levels. It was an awesome start to the season."
 
The River Hawks controlled the pace of play for the majority of the contest, outshooting the Stags, 16-6, with a 5-1 edge on corners. Senior goalkeeper Eva Berkhout (Amersfoort, Utrecht, Netherlands) totaled three saves in the complete-game shutout, securing her second straight season-opening clean sheet.
 
UMass Lowell was quick to get on the board for the first time in 2019, converting on a corner opportunity in the seventh minute when freshman Berbel Rozema's (Rotterdam, Netherlands) initial shot bounced off the Stags' keeper towards sophomore Jenna Berger (Waterloo, Ontario) in the corner for the one-timer on goal.
 
Late in the second, Berkhout made a pair of huge back-to-back saves to keep the visitors off the board. Coming out of halftime, the River Hawks pulled away 2-0 on a breakaway in the 34th minute, as Rozema charged into the circle and dished a pass ahead to senior Morgan Irons (Bordentown, N.J.), who tipped it up past the keeper's outstretched stick.
 
Less than five minutes later, sophomore Lindsey Kilpatrick (Manlius, N.Y.) sent a ball on cage from outside the circle that was misplayed by the opposing goalkeeper, resulting in the 3-0 margin of victory.
 
UMass Lowell now owns a 9-5 edge in the all-time series against Fairfield. The River Hawks finish out opening weekend at home when they host No. 18 Syracuse on Sunday, September 1 at 1 p.m.