Box Score

LOWELL, Mass. – Freshman Kate Miller (Cherry Hill, N.J.) registered five points to help lift the UMass Lowell field hockey team (3-3) to a 5-2 victory against Sacred Heart (1-7) at Wicked Blue Field on Friday afternoon.
 
"I thought we played a great game today," said Head Coach Shannon Hlebichuk. "Obviously, we don't love to concede two goals, but I thought overall Sacred Heart was a tough opponent, so for us to put five goals in on a very good goalkeeper, I think that says a lot about where our goal scoring and our attack mindset was today."
 
Miller logged her first two career goals in the decision, in addition to adding an assist. Sophomore Jenna Berger (Waterloo, Ontario) chipped in with one goal and one assist for three points, as well. Sophomore Hannah Keefe (Westford, Mass.) and freshman Sofie Knook (Amsterdam, Netherlands) rounded out the goal scorers for the River Hawks, while senior Eva Berkhout (Amersfoort, Utrecht, Netherlands) and sophomore Rose Cuozzo (Wilmington, Mass.) split time in the cage with one save apiece.
 
Neither side was able to get on the board in the first quarter of action, although the River Hawks took a 3-1 edge in shots on goal. The home squad was able to break the scoreless stalemate and pull ahead, 1-0, early in the second, though, as sophomore Grace Davis (Waterloo, Ontario) sent a cross to Miller on the post for the one-timer on cage in the 19th minute. Berger then extended the lead with a reverse chip on a breakaway in the 27th minute to put her squad ahead, 2-0, at the break.
 
Coming out of halftime, the Pioneers quickly cut the difference in half, but Knook answered in the 35th minute on a corner opportunity to make the score, 3-1.
 
Sacred Heart made it a one-goal game once more late in the third, although the River Hawks would add two fourth-quarter, insurance goals. Miller first fired off an unassisted attempt that found the lower corner of the cage in the 57th minute before Keefe made a diving effort to finish a short pass from Miller in the 59th.
 
UMass Lowell now leads the all-time series against Sacred Heart, 8-3. The River Hawks will head back out on the road this weekend to open a three-game trip at Columbia on Sunday, September 22 at 12 p.m.