VESTAL, N.Y.—Despite a three-point performance by Izzy Liquori (Agawam, Mass.) (2G, 1A), the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team dropped a close battle against Binghamton University Saturday afternoon, falling 11-8 to the Bearcats. With today's loss, the River Hawks move to 1-2 on the season, while Binghamton jumps to 1-0.

Abby McLaughlin (Walpole, Mass.) (1G) struck first for UMass Lowell in the contest, tallying her first of the season on the man-up opportunity. The Bearcats quickly evened up the score at 1-1 before tacking on three additional goals to take a 4-1 lead. Finding the pass from Hana Caster (North Attleboro, Mass.) (1G, 1A), Megan Brockbank (Bayport, N.Y.) (1G, 1A) squelched the Binghamton scoring run and cut the lead down to 4-2 with 12:24 left in the first half. After a Bearcats goal off the free position shot pushed them to a three-goal advantage, Samantha Blair (West Islip, N.Y.) (2G) and Liquori closed out the first half for the River Hawks with a goal each to bring the score to 5-4 as both teams headed to the locker room.  

The Bearcats opened the second half with a quick goal off the free-position attempt to regain a two-goal margin, before a pair of goals from Blair and Caster locked the score at 6-6. Binghamton retaliated with two of their own, but a goal by Hannah Rose (Framingham, Mass.) (1G) off the transition cut the Bearcats lead back down to just one. Trading a pair of free-position goals, UMass Lowell chased down the Binghamton lead heading into the final 10 minutes of play, but two late tallies by the Bearcats ultimately sealed the victory over the River Hawks.

In the crease, Mackenzie Brown (Southington, Conn.) made eight saves against Binghamton in her third outing as a River Hawk.

UMass Lowell returns to action on Wednesday, March 10 at 2 p.m., when they take on in-state rival Massachusetts on the road.