LOWELL, Mass. – Senior Madison Leeper (East Amherst, N.Y.) registered two goals, as the No. 4 UMass Lowell field hockey team (8-10) fell, 4-3, against No. 5 Maine (7-11) in the America East Championship quarterfinals on Sunday at Wicked Blue Field.
 
"We had a lot of nervous energy to start the game and that put us in a hole," said Head Coach Shannon LeBlanc. "In conference tournament play, you can't do that and expect to win. I like our fight back mentality throughout the rest of the game, but it wasn't enough today."
 
In addition to Leeper, sophomore Karlijn Kerkhof (Rotterdam, Netherlands) also totaled four points on the day, adding one goal and two assists for the River Hawks. Freshman goalkeeper Veerle Mous (Breda, Netherlands) matched a season high with 14 saves, as well.
 
"I want to give my sincere appreciation to our five seniors, who gave their heart to this program during their time here," LeBlanc added. "They have left a great imprint on this program and we know they will shine in their next chapter."
 
The Black Bears attacked at the first whistle, forcing three early saves from Mous before earning a penalty stroke opportunity that Eloise Penty converted on to put the visitors ahead, 1-0, in the fourth minute.
 
The River Hawks were able to work the ball down into their offensive end, but Kerkhof's first attempt of the day sailed wide. In the eighth minute, Maine extended its lead to 2-0, as Zoe Furber sent a ball across the front of the cage to Saylor Kuefler, who controlled it for the finish. However, UMass Lowell battled back, cutting the difference in half in the 12^th minute when sophomore Alice Van Hemelen (Tervuren, Belgium) raced into the circle and sent a reverse-stick shot towards the cage where a waiting Leeper redirected it past the opposing keeper to make it 2-1.
 
In the second quarter, the River Hawks took control of the momentum, putting five shots on target, including a 29^th-minute chance from junior Karli Penrod (Seaford, Del.) that took a sliding stop from the Black Bears' keeper to stop, maintaining the 2-1 difference at the break.
 
Coming out of halftime, the River Hawks charged into their offensive end and earned a corner. During that play, Kerkhof fired from the top of the circle before Leeper made a diving tip on goal to even the board, 2-2. Maine was quick to answer, though, earning six corners in the quarter, scoring on two of them, to regain the lead, 4-2, in the 44^th minute.
 
The River Hawks battled right back, ending the quarter with two consecutive corners of their own, as Van Hemelen set up a hard shot from Kerkhof that was deflected up and in to put the home side back within one, 4-3, heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Kerkhof and Penrod each fired a shot on a corner to start the final period, but both attempts were blocked. On the other end of the field, Mous continued to work hard to keep her team close, making four more saves before she was pulled for an extra field player, as the River Hawks made a final push, but the Black Bears held on for the 4-3 outcome.
 
The River Hawks finish the 2025 campaign with an 8-10 overall record.