Box Score LOWELL, Mass. – Junior Karli Penrod (Seaford, Del.) registered a first-half goal, as the UMass Lowell field hockey team (8-8) fell, 5-1, against Quinnipiac (10-7) on Senior Day at Wicked Blue Field.
 
"We didn't show up today from the opening whistle, which is unfortunate," said Head Coach Shannon LeBlanc. "Our fundamentals, tackling and decision making were bad, so overall, a full game of mistakes."
 
Sophomore Karlijn Kerkhof (Rotterdam, Netherlands) led the way offensively with four shots, including two on goal. Freshman Veerle Mous (Breda, Netherlands) totaled six saves in the decision.
 
The Bobcats opened the scoring in just the fourth minute when Mo Quaile stickhandled to the center of the circle and pushed a final touch into the back corner of the cage. Then in the 13^th minute, Rozemarijn Van Keulen controlled a long bouncing pass while racing into the circle before lifting the ball high into the net to stretch the difference to 2-0.
 
The River Hawks earned their first corner late in the first period, but a hard shot by Kerkhof was blocked. The visitors would keep the pressure on to start the second with another score by Van Keulen in the 16^th minute, once again receiving a long pass and beating the final defender into the circle before firing on target.
 
UMass Lowell gained momentum with a pair of corners and shots on goal from Kerkhof and freshman Alexa Guarneri (Hockessin, Del.), but Francisca Eschoyez extended the QU lead to 4-0 in the 27^th minute. However, in the 29^th minute, the River Hawks were able to cut into the difference, as Penrod forced a turnover in her team's offensive end, dribbled into the circle and drove a slap shot past the opposing keeper to make it 4-1 at the break.
 
Coming out of halftime, the River Hawks looked to put the pressure on. Sophomore Alice Van Hemelen (Teruven, Belgium) tested the keeper in the 35^th minute, but she managed to stretch just far enough to send it off target.
 
Both sides continued to battle throughout the remainder of the third. To start the fourth, Quinnipiac threatened with six shots, including a penalty stroke attempt, but the River Hawks extinguished all of those opportunities, until Lucia Donati broke through in the 53^rd minute with a shot from the wing.
 
The River Hawks answered with a corner in the 56^th minute and a shot into the keeper's pads in the 58^th, but Quinnipiac was able to hold on to take the 5-1 decision.
 
UMass Lowell is back in action on Thursday, October 30 when they host UAlbany to close out the regular season at 3 p.m. Admission is free thanks to Eastern Salt and Mahoney Oil.