WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The UMass Lowell field hockey team has earned the fourth seed for the 2021 America East Field Hockey Championship and is slated to take on No. 1 Monmouth in a semifinal matchup on Thursday, April 22 at 12 p.m.
 
"It is an extraordinary achievement for our team to have earned the fourth spot in this very competitive conference in convincing fashion," said Head Coach Shannon LeBlanc. "It speaks volumes to the team's commitment to their individual training this fall since our first time back together as a group since March of 2020 was January 2021. This team trained on their own around the world this past fall and then came back together in January with one goal in mind, making the conference tournament."
 
The league's postseason will feature a different format this year, with just the top four teams making the tournament, which will be hosted by Monmouth at So Sweet A Cat Field. The second semifinal matchup will include No. 2 Maine and No. 3 Stanford at 2:30 p.m. Thursday's winners will then advance to square off in the title game on Saturday, April 24 at 12 p.m., playing for automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. The two semifinal games will be broadcast on AmericaEast.tv and the finals will be on ESPN3.  
 
The River Hawks finished the shortened, spring 2021 regular season with a 7-4 overall record and a 5-3 mark in league games to earn a berth into the America East Championship for the first time since 2017. The five conference wins and the .636 overall win percentage both mark new Division I program records, as well.
 
"I am incredibly proud of our team, and their growth and winning mindset over these last three months," added LeBlanc. "They have been accountable, they've played with grit and they have played with a grateful heart, which has really been the key to our continued success. I am looking forward to watching them compete this week, as I am confident they will bring their best."
  
Monmouth, who owns a 9-2 overall record, went 7-1 in America East games this year to earn the top seed and the right to host for the second straight season.
 
The River Hawks and Hawks have met just twice in the sport of field hockey at the Division I level. This season, Monmouth held off UMass Lowell, 1-0, on its home turf on March 26.