STORRS, Conn. – Freshman Izzy Liquori (Agawam, Mass.) notched a career-best five goals on the day, as the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team (1-2) fell, 20-14, to UConn (2-1) on Friday afternoon at the Sherman Family Sport Complex.
 
"I thought we played hard," stated head coach Lisa Miller. "I give the team a lot of credit, finishing out the game strong. I would've liked to have a few more possessions in the second half but overall I was happy with how the group went after it today."
 
Freshman Natalie Choate (Spencerport, N.Y.) opened the scoring for both sides after dodging a UConn defender only four minutes into the contest, but the Huskies would counter with three goals of their own to take a 3-1 lead with 23:25 left to play in the first.
 
Liquori would tally her first goal of the day less than a minute after the Husky attack, followed by junior Hannah Rose (Framingham, Mass.) to make it a one-point game with 21 minutes remaining in the first.
 
UConn would then kick-off on another three-goal run to take a 7-3 lead, but sophomore Samantha Blair (West Islip, N.Y.) would cut the home teams momentum with back-to-back goals followed by Liquori's second of the day. Freshman Abby McLaughlin (Walpole, Mass.) would tally her sixth of the season less than a minute later to equalize the score, 7-7, with 9:30 left on the clock.
 
The Huskies would counter with two goals of their own by Sydney Watson, but Liquori would trim the gap once again followed by senior Cameron McKelvin (Westminster, Md.) to equalize the score 9-9. A Husky goal by Watson with 33 seconds left would give the home team a one-point buffer heading into the half.
 
With the duo carrying their momentum in the second, Liquori would tally her fourth of the day off a free position opportunity, while McKelvin buried the shot past the keeper for a one-point lead with 23 minutes left to play.
 
Going on the offense the Huskies would tally six goals over six minutes to hold the River Hawks scoreless, but senior Hana Caster (North Attleboro, Mass.) would end the home team's run going coast-to-coast to trim the gap by four with 15:59 to go.
 
UConn would tally three more goals to take 19-12 lead as the clocked ticked down to seven minutes. Liquori would cap off her day with goal number five at 7:13, followed by Lauren Hopsicker's (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) first of the season, but the Huskies would add one more to end the score, 20-14.
 
Madison Grazidei (Bayport, N.Y.) made seven saves, and freshman Layton Nass (Manhasset, N.Y.) led the way in caused turnovers with two.
 
Up next the River Hawks will welcome in-state rival Massachusetts in a Kennedy Cup Challenge game on Monday, before closing out the month of February with another home match against Bryant on Friday. Both matchups are set for 3:30 p.m. at Cushing Field.