LOWELL, Mass. – Sophomore Karlijn Kerkhof (Rotterdam, Netherlands) tallied two shots, as the UMass Lowell field hockey team (7-6, 2-1 AE) fell to the New Hampshire Wildcats (7-5, 2-1 AE), 7-0, on Friday night at Wicked Blue Field.

Kerkhof, who had one shot on target, was one of three River Hawks to record a shot in the contest. Senior Madison Leeper (East Amherst, N.Y.) added one shot on cage, while junior Christina Wagner (Cicero, N.Y.) registered an opportunity, as well. In the cage, freshman Veerle Mous (Breda, Netherlands) earned the start, making nine saves in 45 minutes, while freshman Megan MacMiller (Tarzana, Calif.) made two stops in the fourth quarter.

Although the Wildcats registered the first two shots of the day in the opening two minutes, the UMass Lowell defense stepped up to the challenge, locking down the New Hampshire offense to prevent them from firing off another chance for just over ten minutes. Meanwhile, the River Hawks started to put the pressure on the visitors, earning a corner in the 10th minute, setting up a shot by Kerkhof that the opposition was able to get in front of. The back-and-forth battle continued, with the Wildcats recording the final chance of the period, but another excellent block by the UMass Lowell defense kept the game scoreless through the first 15.

The visitors started the second quarter with a corner in the 18th minute, and despite graduate student Aurise Tattrie (Watertown, Mass.) rejecting the shot on the goal line, New Hampshire scored off the rebound to take a 1-0 lead. Looking to respond, Wagner ripped a shot midway through the second, but New Hampshire added one more moments later to make it 2-0 heading into halftime.

Coming out of the break, UMass Lowell brought the pressure defensively, holding the Wildcats to only one shot in the first seven minutes. However, the opposition found its footing, stringing together three straight goals to own a 5-0 lead with a quarter left to play.

In the fourth, the River Hawks continued to fight, but New Hampshire's defense held strong to keep the hosts off the board, while adding two mor scores to seal the 7-0 decision.

The River Hawks are back in action at home this Sunday, October 19, when they battle No. 4 Harvard at 1 p.m. Admission is free all season thanks to Eastern Salt and Mahoney Oil.