AMHERST, Mass. – Although junior Grace Davis (Waterloo, Ontario) scored her first goal of the season, the UMass Lowell field hockey team (2-1) was edged, 2-1, by in-state foe Massachusetts (4-1) in the 2021 installment of the Kennedy Cup Challenge on Sunday.
 
"We competed hard and smart today, but we lacked a focus on fundamentals, which kept us from being able to create more attacking and scoring opportunities," said Head Coach Shannon LeBlanc. "I'm looking forward to a great week of training, as we prepare for conference play."
 
The game was extremely closely-contested, with the Minutewomen taking just a 6-5 advantage in shots, but the home team did earn six corners compared to just one for UMass Lowell. Freshman Eleonore Boekhorst (Bilthoven, Netherlands) registered two saves in the complete-game performance in the cage, while Massachusetts' Brooke Richards finished with three stops.
 
After 20 minutes of scoreless action, Mus Defauwes broke through for the Minutewomen to put her squad on top, 1-0. However, the River Hawks were able to even the score just before the break in the 27th minute, converting on their only corner chance of the day. On that play, senior Clara Defourt (Brussels, Belgium) entered the ball from the top of the circle and Davis deflected it into the cage.
 
The board remained even until the 43rd minute when Jess Beech finished on a corner to give the home squad the 2-1 advantage. The River Hawks were then not able to get a shot off in the fourth quarter, as Massachusetts held on for the outcome.
 
The River Hawks will open America East Conference play at home on Friday, March 19 when they host Maine at 1 p.m.