Saturday, March 16 at #23 Brown: Watch | Live Stats
 
LOWELL, Mass. – After staying perfect with three wins down south, the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team (8-0) faces their toughest test yet with a battle at the #23 Brown Bears (5-2) on Saturday, March 16. Opening draw is set for 1 p.m. at Stevenson-Pincince Field in Providence, R.I.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Senior Megan Brockbank (Bayport, N.Y.) tallied four goals and three assists, as the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team (8-0) took down the Presbyterian Blue Hose (0-4), 15-4, on Saturday afternoon. Brockbank, who finished one point shy of the program high, was one of seven goal-scorers for the River Hawks. Freshman Chloe Bowers (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) filled the box score with four goals, two ground balls, and a draw control. Freshman Jillian Goldie (Owen Sound, Ontario) rounded out the multi-goal scorers with two while junior Jade Catlin (Middletown, Md.), sophomores Grace Lydon (Rowley, Mass.), Macy Shultz (Adams, N.Y.), and Kaitlynn Anderson (Winnipeg, Manitoba), and freshman Maddy Izzo (Monkton, Md.) all buried one goal.
 
GOING STREAKING
With the victory over Presbyterian, the River Hawks have now won eight straight, setting the program record for most wins in a row as well as most wins in a season. The streak is currently tied for the longest active win streak in the nation. UMass Lowell also is tied for the best record in the country, while owning the best record away from home in all of Division I.
 
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Anchored by multiple seasoned veterans, UMass Lowell's defense has been a key part of the team's success thus far. Through the first eight games, the defensive unit ranks eighth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 7.50 goals per game, propelling the River Hawks to the seventh-best scoring margin in the country (+7.88). Meanwhile, the team also tallies 11 caused turnovers per game, good for the ninth most in Division I, while Kuhn ranks third amongst all goalkeepers with only 6.87 goals allowed per game.

LEADING THE FLOCK
Bowers paces the squad with 25 goals and 28 points and adds 18 draw controls after the first eight games, while Goldie and Brockbank each total a team-high nine assists. Right behind Bowers, Catlin has tallied 21 goals, including a program-record eight against Winthrop, and leads her team with 12 ground balls. On defense, graduate student Julia Napolitano (Oakdale, N.Y.) posts a team-best 13 caused turnovers, including a season-high four in the win over LIU. In net, all four goalkeepers have seen time, with Kuhn leading the River Hawks with 42 saves in 314 minutes, good for a 6-0 record.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT
The freshmen have left their mark early on UMass Lowell, as Bowers has been named America East Rookie of the Week three times, Goldie has earned the honor twice, while Kuhn has been tabbed the America East Defensive Player of the Week twice. In the season opener, Bowers had a record-setting day, scoring five goals and totaling six points, both of which were program records for a player in their collegiate debut. In the second week of the season, Goldie exploded for seven goals and four assists, including five goals and two assists against Merrimack, to help propel her team to a 2-0 week. Meanwhile, Kuhn was stellar in her first two starts, making nine saves against Stonehill and 16 against Quinnipiac to help lead her team to a 2-0 week.
 
SCOUTING BROWN
The Bears welcome the River Hawks to town following a 16-15 defeat to #8 Notre Dame.  Brown's offense is led by senior attack Mia Mascone who totals 31 goals in seven games which ranks fifth in Division I, and adds 13 assists, good for 44 points. Behind her, Annie Burton tallies 25 points (7g, 18a) while Greta Criqui chips in with 22 goals. In net, Claire Mahoney has made seven appearances, including five starts, making 24 saves while allowing 47 goals in 260 minutes of action.

A WIN WOULD
A win against Brown would continue the River Hawks' record-breaking start, moving the team to 9-0 while marking the first ranked win in program history.

MATCHUP HISTORY
This week, UMass Lowell will face Brown for the fifth time in program history, with the Bears owning a 4-0 record in previous matchups. The last time the two teams faced each other, the River Hawks fell 12-6 at home, with six different players tallying a goal.