LOWELL, Mass. – Junior
Berbel Rozema (Rotterdam, Netherlands) logged her first career hat trick, as the UMass Lowell field hockey team (7-4) defeated Holy Cross (5-7), 3-0, in a non-conference matchup on Monday afternoon.
"It's great to rebound after a tough loss on Friday," said Head Coach
Shannon LeBlanc. "We really took care of the things we had spoken about the last couple days. To score two goals in the first couple minutes was a testament to the work and accountability that the team placed on themselves today."
All three of Rozema's goals came in the first half and were assisted by a different River Hawk teammate. Sophomore goalkeeper
Eleonore Boekhorst (Bilthoven, Netherlands) recorded five saves in her fourth shutout of the season. As a team, UMass Lowell outshot Holy Cross, 22-7, and took an 8-4 advantage on corners.
The River Hawks got off to a hot start offensively, quickly jumping out to a 2-0 edge thanks to a pair of goals by Rozema in the first 90 seconds. The first tally of the contest came just 35 seconds into play when senior
Jenna Berger (Waterloo, Ontario) drove a pass into the circle for Rozema, whose tip sent the ball trickling by the opposing keeper.
Less than a minute later, the home team earned back-to-back corners and was able to convert on the second, as junior
Kate Miller (Cherry Hill, N.J.) sent a ball across the front the cage that was settled by sophomore
Sage Valente (Watertown, Conn.) to set up the one-timer from Rozema.
Boekhorst fended off four attempts on target and four corner chances in the first to keep the River Hawks' lead intact. Rozema then completed the hat trick in just the 19
th minute, as she was perfectly positioned for the textbook redirect off a pass from Miller.
The Crusaders threatened to cut into the buffer in the 40
th minute with a reverse-stick chip from Isabella Henderson, but Boekhorst kicked it out of play.
UMass Lowell kept the pressure on, though, outshooting their opponent, 6-0, in the fourth and final quarter en route to the shutout win.
The River Hawks will get back to America East action on Friday, October 15 when they host UAlbany at 2 p.m.
