Box Score AMHERST, Mass. – Despite a strong first-half performance, the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team (0-1) fell to the #23 Massachusetts Minutewomen (1-0), 16-7, on Saturday afternoon at Garber Field in the 2023 season opener.

Leading the River Hawks in scoring was senior Izzy Liquori (Agawam, Mass.), who tallied two goals and an assist. Also finding the back of the net twice were senior Molly Shaw (Marshfield, Mass.) and sophomore Jade Catlin (Middletown, Md.), while senior Grace Hansen (Stamford, Ct.) chipped in a goal. Also getting on the scoresheet was freshman Macy Shultz (Adams, N.Y.), who assisted on Hansen's goal for her first collegiate point. Making her first career start, junior Emerson Laundry (Swampscott, Mass.) paced the squad with five total draw controls. In net, freshmen Hannah Shaddock (Corning, N.Y.) totaled 13 saves in her debut.

"We competed hard against a top 25 team," said head coach Lisa Miller. "I thought we were a little tight early on offense and once we get through those jitters we'll get back to moving ball quickly and be fun to watch. We pleayed long stretches of great defense. All good things. We need to find a way to even out the draw control differential as that dictated the outcome. Shaddock played well in her first start in the cage."

The Minutewomen quickly attacked to open the game, scoring two goals in the first two minutes of the game. The River Hawks stood strong, locking down on defense and not allowing another goal for over six minutes. With 3:58 remaining in the first, Shaw scored her first goal of the season to put the River Hawks on the board, but the hosts added one more to own a 4-1 lead after one quarter.

UMass Lowell came out firing to open the second quarter, scoring a goal in less than a minute when Liquori found the back of the net off a free-position opportunity. Moments later, Catlin tallied back-to-back goals to knot the game up at 4-4. The two teams went back and forth for over five minutes, but neither side was able to break the tie until Liquori fired a strike with 4:57 on the clock, giving the visitors their first lead of the afternoon. However, less than a minute later, Massachusetts struck for the first time in the quarter, evening the score heading into the break.

Coming out of the break, the Minutewomen found their rhythm on offense, rattling off five goals in the third to take a 10-5 lead heading into the final quarter.

After Massachusetts added one more, Shaw snapped the scoring drought with her second goal of the afternoon. UMass Lowell continued to battle, holding the hosts scoreless for nearly six minutes, but another flurry of goals gave the Minutewomen a 15-6 lead with 5:46 to play. Looking to make a comeback, Shultz dished out a pass to Hansen for a goal, but Massachusetts added one more in the final minutes, sealing the 16-7 decision.

Next up, the River Hawks head to Duane Stadium to battle Merrimack on Wednesday, February 15. The game is slated for a 2 p.m. start.