Season in Review: River Hawks Reach Postseason for Eighth Consecutive Season
12/4/2025 12:07:00 PM | Women's Soccer
LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell women’s soccer team gave it their all in another competitive season in 2025, earning their eighth straight postseason appearance under Head Coach Mira Novak.
Overall, the River Hawks posted a 6-5-6 record on the season, including a 3-2-3 record in America East play. Although they began the season with a 1-3 record in non-conference action, UMass Lowell stood strong, battling throughout the remaining games in the regular season to a 5-2-5 record. The River Hawks clinched a postseason spot following a Senior Day victory over UAlbany, 3-1, and earned the chance to host an America East quarterfinals match for the sixth consecutive season after fighting to a 1-1 tie at Bryant in the last game of the regular season. UMass Lowell went on to host the Bulldogs in the quarterfinals of the America East Championship.
UMass Lowell began the 2025 campaign on a strong note, outplaying Stony Brook to a 4-2 victory, as senior Maddie Guthrie (Stow, Mass.) anchored the offense, tallying a new Division I UMass Lowell single-game record for assists with three. The River Hawks also recorded their most goals scored in a season opener in UMass Lowell Division I history. Freshmen Kiera Fitzpatrick (Methuen, Mass.) and Anneliese Collin (Portland, Me.) each recorded their first collegiate goal, while junior Marissa Sage (MIlford, N.H.) and sophomore Gaby Eckroth (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) posted a goal as well in the match.
Guthrie ?? Sage
— UMass Lowell Women’s Soccer (@RiverHawkWSOC) August 14, 2025
UML 1 | SBU 0#UnitedInBlue | #AEWSOC pic.twitter.com/5PFEHDZtIG
66’ | River Hawks back on top! Collin nets the first goal of her college career!
— UMass Lowell Women’s Soccer (@RiverHawkWSOC) August 14, 2025
UML 3 | SBU 2#UnitedInBlue | #AEWSOC pic.twitter.com/bVyNcgbs3t
Maddie Guthrie America East Offensive Player of the Week
Guthrie was selected as the Week One America East Offensive Player of the Week after collecting a career-high three assists in the season opener at Stony Brook, including what proved to be an assist on the game-winner.
Recap - UML 3, Stonehill 0 / UML 5, New Haven 1
After a challenging stretch of games in August, the team wrapped up non-conference play in September, with a 2-0-1 record, as seven different River Hawks recorded a goal over the three-game stretch. Freshman Nora Belin (Stockholm, Sweden) stood out during that span of games, recording three total goals for six points, with a two-goal outing in the 5-1 victory at New Haven. Sophomore Gaby Eckroth (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) also registered two goals for four points against the Chargers, marking the first time in UMass Lowell Division I history that two different players scored at least two goals in the same contest.
4' | WHAT A GOAL FROM BANZI!! The River Hawks take an early lead in the opening minutes!
— UMass Lowell Women’s Soccer (@RiverHawkWSOC) September 11, 2025
UML 1 | Stonehill 0 #UnitedInBlue | #AEWSOC pic.twitter.com/ifyz9r8U5o
Goal No. 2 for Belin!!
— UMass Lowell Women’s Soccer (@RiverHawkWSOC) September 14, 2025
UML 2 | New Haven 0 #UnitedInBlue | #AEWSOC pic.twitter.com/BO4zBrZwNq
Nora Belin America East Rookie of the Week
Belin was an offensive factor for UMass Lowell to close out the non-conference season, as the forward earned her first America East Rookie of the Week honors. The freshman totaled three goals for six points in two victories for the River Hawks, registering her first career goal versus Stonehill before adding two more at New Haven.
3??-game goal streak for Eckroth!!
— UMass Lowell Women’s Soccer (@RiverHawkWSOC) September 28, 2025
UML 1 | UMBC 0 #UnitedInBlue | #AEWSOC pic.twitter.com/IPLkQTDr76
Recap - UML 1, UMBC 0
The River Hawks started conference play strong, earning a 1-0 victory at UMBC following a 1-1 draw against NJIT. In the win, Eckroth netted the game-winning goal in the 70th minute, her fifth goal of the season.
Recap - UML 2, Maine 2 / UML 1, UVM 0
As October progressed, the River Hawks met the defending conference champions, Maine, ending in a well-fought draw, before taking home a victory on the road at Vermont, 1-0, in the final minutes of play. Belin scored the game-winning goal in the 89th minute of regulation against the Catamounts, while sophomore Rachel Welch (Franklin, Mass.) earned the clean sheet with four shots saved.
Just beautiful.
— UMass Lowell Women’s Soccer (@RiverHawkWSOC) October 19, 2025
Belin's fifth goal of the season!!
UML 1 | UVM 0 #UnitedInBlue | #AEWSOC pic.twitter.com/MhGQ9Nlhae
Nora Belin's Second America East Rookie of the Week
Belin recorded two goals for four points in a 1-0-1 week for the River Hawks, registering a game-winning goal in the last minutes of play against the Catamounts for her second straight game with a score. This marked the forward’s second AE Rookie of the Week honors.
Recap - UML 3, UAlbany 1
A 3-1 Senior Day victory against UAlbany helped lock a playoff spot for the River Hawks, marking their eighth consecutive postseason appearance.
Eckroth, an attacking threat, had a standout performance against UAlbany, collecting an assist and a goal for three points in the contest, helping earn her first America East Offensive Player of the Week honors. Belin, meanwhile, continued to be a consistent offensive piece for the River Hawks during her rookie campaign, scoring against the Great Danes, marking her third straight game with a goal. For her efforts, she was once again named the AE Rookie of the Week, the third time she earned the honor.
After a 1-1 draw against Bryant in the regular season finale to earn a home playoff game, the River Hawks ran it back against the Bulldogs in the America East Quarterfinals. Welch stood tall in net, making four saves to keep the game scoreless for 110 minutes, but the visitors earned the victory in the shootout, 4-3, at Cushing Field.
River Hawks Collect Five America East Postseason Awards
Following the regular season, the UMass Lowell women's soccer team earned a total of five America East postseason awards. Eckroth and Rodgers were both selected to the America East All-Conference Second Team, while Belin garnered a spot on the All-Rookie Team, and Guthrie was named to the conference's All-Academic Team.
Putting a cap on an incredible freshman season, Belin was named the America East Rookie of the Year, alongside being named to the conference’s All-Rookie Team. The forward saw time in 15 games, making seven starts, while posting six goals and one assist for 13 points. Belin’s six goals were tied for first on the team, as the 13 points registered ranked second on the team. During the season, the forward earned America East Rookie of the Week honors three different times due to her stellar performances. On the America East leaderboard, Belin ranked seventh in points per game (.87), and fifth in total goals with six.
Welch, taking on the starting goalkeeper role in 2025, put together a strong sophomore campaign. She started in 15 of the team’s 17 games, collecting 70 saves and five shutouts over 1370 minutes of action. The sophomore tallied a personal-best 11 saves in the season opener at Stony Brook.
The 2025-26 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Teams were announced and include five members of the UMass Lowell women's soccer team. Senior Sophie St. George (Walpole, Mass.), senior Kirti Craig (Spotswood, N.J.), junior Franzisca Sinclair (Frankfurt, Germany), Guthrie, and Rodgers all garnered spots following outstanding seasons both on the field and in the classroom.
The River Hawks celebrated eight true seniors in 2025.
Oh, what a special day! ??????
— UMass Lowell Women’s Soccer (@RiverHawkWSOC) October 26, 2025
Our Senior Day was a success, and we are so grateful to have had these eight seniors represent UMass Lowell over the past four years! #UnitedInBlue | #AEWSOC pic.twitter.com/ZtKBFHk9G0
