LOWELL, Mass. - The No. 20 UMass Lowell field hockey team (2-2) is set for a pair of local contests this week. The River Hawks will first square off against Stonehill under the lights at Wicked Blue Field for their Morgan's Message Dedication game on Friday, September 13 at 6 p.m. before heading out to Amherst to take on Massachusetts in the 2024 installment of the Kennedy Cup Challenge on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 1 p.m.  
 
RIVER HAWK REWIND
The River Hawks finished 1-1 on the road last week. The squad first fended off late pressure to hold on for a 3-2 win at Brown on Sept. 6 before facing a 2-0 setback at Bucknell on Sept. 8. In the win at Brown, junior Madison Leeper (East Amherst, N.Y.) tallied the game- winner, while freshman Karlijn Kerkhof (Rotterdam, Netherlands) scored a goal for the third consecutive game. In the cage, sophomore Marie Oliemans (Driebergen, Netherlands) logged a career-high eight saves in the second half to extinguish the Bears' late threats.
 
LEADING THE FLOCK
Through four games, Kerkhof paces the offense with three goals and seven points, in addition to 11 shots on goal. Graduate student Mirthe Gans (Tiel, Netherlands) adds a team-best three assists with five total points. In the cage, graduate student goalkeeper Christina Calandra (Manchester, Mass.) and Marie Oliemans (Driebergen, Netherlands) each own one win. Oliemans has registered 15 saves with an .833 save percentage, as well.
 
A WIN WOULD
Friday's matchup marks the first meeting between UMass Lowell and Stonehill at the Division I level, but the opponents have a long history during their Division II days. The River Hawks currently own a 21-11 lead in the all-time series. A win on Sunday would mark the second consecutive victory for UMass Lowell against Massachusetts, as the River Hawks claimed their first ever Kennedy Cup win last season.
 
CRACKING THE RANKINGS
The River Hawks are officially nationally ranked for the second consecutive year, breaking in at No. 20 in the Week 1 NFHCA Division I National Coaches' Poll. The team first cracked the national rankings in the 2023 Week 4 Poll at No. 18 and spent the remainder of the regular season (6 weeks) ranked.
 
AE ON ESPN
For the first time ever in the regular season, the River Hawks' contest against Stonehill on Sept. 13 will be streamed live on ESPN+ domestically. The AmericaEast.tv broadcast will still be available for international viewers.
 
INSTANT IMPACT
Karlijn Kerkhof is making a name for herself immediately in her rookie season, tallying a goal in each of the River Hawks' first three contests.
 
STARTING STRONG
The decision against Merrimack marked the River Hawks' eighth consecutive win in a home opener at Wicked Blue.
 
SPREADING THE LOVE
The River Hawks have already shown their depth this year, as six different players tallied a point in the home opener.
 
STIFF COMPETITION
Four of the River Hawks' 2024 opponents were listed in the NFHCA Division I preseason national rankings, including Duke, who had checked in at No. 5. Also on the list were Rutgers, Wake Forest and UAlbany. Last year, the River Hawks defeated two nationally ranked opponents. Since 2021, the team has challenged 10 nationally ranked opponents with seven of the eight setbacks being decided by two goals or less.
 
AMERICA EAST AWARDS
Karlijn Kerkhof garnered the first America East Rookie of the Week nod of the new season thanks to five points in her first two games.
 
OF NOTE
Marie Oliemans recorded a career-high eight saves at Brown (9.6) … Karlijn Kerkhof logged her first career points in her collegiate debut against Merrimack (8.30).