LOWELL, Mass. – The No. 1 seeded UMass Lowell field hockey team (14-4) faced a 3-2 setback in double overtime against No. 4 California (11-7) in the semifinal round of the 2023 America East Conference Championship on Friday at Wicked Blue Field.
 
The teams battled for more than 46 minutes deadlocked in a 2-2 tie. Just under four minutes into the second overtime period, the Golden Bears' Daniella Rhodes slipped past the last River Hawk defender and dribbled out wide before firing off the slap shot that would end the game.
 
"I'm super proud of the performance today," said Head Coach Shannon LeBlanc. "It was a great, gutsy game. We showed our work rate, our discipline and all the things we've been working on. Tournament time is a different time. When you're up against 10 grad students and we've got three or four freshmen playing into the game, experience was definitely on the opponent's side today."  
 
Sophomores Isabelle Halters (Noordwijk, Netherlands) and Madison Leeper (East Amherst, N.Y.) each tallied a goal for UMass Lowell in the contest. Senior goalkeeper Christina Calandra (Manchester, Mass.) logged three, first-half saves, while freshman Marie Oliemans (Driebergen, Netherlands) tallied four saves in the final 44 minutes of action. The teams traded four corners apiece, although Cal took a 20-11 shot advantage.
 
The River Hawks quickly jumped in front to start the day, as senior Aurise Tattrie played a ball into the circle that was deflected by the opposing keeper in front of Halters, who controlled it for the putback in just the ninth minute.
 
The home team continued to put the pressure on throughout the remainder of the first quarter, but two more, would-be goals were called back to keep the difference at just 1-0.
 
However, the River Hawks were able to extend the difference in the 18^th minute, when senior Aurise Tattrie (Watertown, Mass.) dished a cross to the post to set up the one-timer from Leeper.
 
In the 21^st minute, Calandra made a diving save for a goal-line stick stop. The Golden Bears would cut the difference in half in the 23^rd minute, though, with a direct corner goal from Rhodes. The visitors then evened the board in the 28^th minute, as Rhodes came through once again, this time bouncing a ball up over a stick before batting it into the back of the cage to force a 2-2 stalemate at the break.
 
The River Hawks started the second half with a strong reverse chip from freshman Florine Gerrits (Amstelveen, Netherlands), but it sailed just high. The team controlled the momentum for the majority of the third quarter, adding four more shots and a corner opportunity.
 
Action moved to the Golden Bears' offensive end for the majority of the fourth, but the defense fended off eight shots with the help of a pair of impressive saves from Oliemans to force overtime.
 
The teams traded one shot apiece in the first overtime, ahead of the double-overtime finish.
 
The River Hawks close out their historic season with a 14-4 record.
 
"This was a historic team and a senior class that I have never had the opportunity to coach before. They are a once in a coaching career class, and world-class leaders, teammates and humans," concluded LeBlanc. "They are indescribable in the most positive way."