Box Score

LOWELL, Mass. – Despite 30 minutes of scoreless action, the second half proved to be the difference, as the UMass Lowell field hockey team (1-3) was defeated, 7-2, by No. 13 Northwestern (4-2) on Friday afternoon.
 
"We are disappointed with today' game," said Associate Head Coach Katie White. "Today was a lost opportunity with two different teams showing up against a really great Northwestern team. We feel good about the first 30 minutes of our play, going into halftime with a 0-0 score, but 30 minutes of good hockey won't get us the result we had hoped for against a top team. Today we learned a lot about who we are right now, and who we want to be moving forward and the things we need to do to get there."
 
Sophomore Hannah Keefe (Westford, Mass.) logged her first career goal in the contest, while freshman Berbel Rozema (Rotterdam, Netherlands) notched her second goal of the season. Senior goalkeeper Eva Berkhout (Amersfoort, Utrecht, Netherlands) tallied a season-high seven saves, while sophomore Rose Cuozzo (Wilmington, Mass.) chipped in with two saves, as well.
 
The first quarter of play was a defensive stalemate thanks to big stops from both sides. Sophomore Jenna Berger (Waterloo, Ontario) put the River Hawks' first shot on goal in the eighth minute that was turned away by the NU keeper before Berkhout made back-to-back saves on corner chances in the final minute to keep the game scoreless.
 
The teams traded possessions for the majority of the second quarter until UMass Lowell turned the pressure up just before the break with shots on cage by Rozema and Berger, although the Wildcats' goalkeeper was able to keep the board at 0-0 heading into halftime.
 
Offense controlled the third quarter, as the sides combined for six goals, including four in the first seven minutes. After three straight Northwestern goals, Rozema finished a push from freshman Kate Miller (Cherry Hill, N.J.) to put the River Hawks on the board, but the home team's Maren Seidel and Bente Baekers each scored to close the period with NU up, 5-1.
 
Keefe tipped in backhand shot from sophomore Isobel Sargent (Hampton Falls, N.H.) in the 57th minute for the first goal of her career. However, Northwestern added a pair of tallies in the final quarter to secure the 7-2 outcome.
 
The Wildcats now lead the all-time series against UMass Lowell, 2-0. The River Hawks will remain in Illinois for a neutral-site contest against Ball State on Sunday, September 15 beginning at 12 p.m.