LOWELL, Mass. – Graduate student Jenna Berger (Waterloo, Ontario) and senior Kate Miller (Cherry Hill, N.J.) recorded two goals apiece to help lift the UMass Lowell field hockey team (12-5, 6-2 AE) to a 4-1 victory against California (4-10, 3-4 AE) in the America East regular-season finale on Friday.
 
With the decision, the River Hawks set a new record for single-season America East victories (6), while also continuing to improve upon the Division I program record for overall wins (12). Currently tied for second in the league standings, another DI best, the team also locked up the No. 3 seed for the America East Championship beginning on November 3 in Orono, Maine.  
 
"To finish second in the conference is amazing," said Head Coach Shannon LeBlanc. "I think we've worked very hard since August 10 to put ourselves in this position. And to finish off our conference schedule with a 4-1 win against a very good Cal team feels really good."
 
Senior Berbel Rozema (Rotterdam, Netherlands) and freshman Isabelle Halters (Noordwijk, Netherlands) each added an assist in the contest, while junior Eleonore Boekhorst (Bilthoven, Netherlands) totaled six saves on the day.
 
The offense was hot to start the game, as the squads combined for three tallies in just over a minute early in the first quarter. The River Hawks struck first, jumping on top in the eighth minute thank to a penalty stroke goal by Berger. The Golden Bears retaliated just seconds later to erase the difference, but the home team earned a corner on their next possession, allowing Berger to put back a rebound off an initial shot from Rozema.
 
In the final seconds of the quarter, UMass Lowell added to its lead, as Halters sent a cross to Miller, who battled for the off-balance finish to make the score, 3-1.
 
Halters threatened to extend the difference in the 20^th minute when she had a wide open look for a backhanded slapshot from the top of the circle, but it was kicked away by the opposing keeper, as the two-goal margin remained heading into the break.
 
The River Hawks continued their attack with three consecutive shots off the post to start the third quarter. In the 36^th minute, Miller broke up a Cal pass and Rozema collected the loose ball before dishing it back to Miller, who had sprinted ahead to set up in the circle for the one-timer on target for the final score of the contest.
 
UMass Lowell will wrap up the regular season on Sunday, October 30 when the team hosts Monmouth for Senior Day at 1 p.m.