LOUDONVILLE, N.Y.- Sophomore Chloe Bowers (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) tallied a game-high four goals, as the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team (5-1) took down the Siena Saints (0-4), 11-9, in a defensive battle on Saturday afternoon.
 
"We are finding ways to win," said Head Coach Lisa Miller. "Happy that different individuals made timely plays throughout the game, and the defense was able to clamp down and survive a number of cards. We are still working toward our best game and hope to hit our stride come conference play."
 
Bowers, who has recorded at least two goals in each match this season, was one of four River Hawks to score a goal. Also finishing with four points was junior Audra Hansen (Stamford, Ct.), who found the back of the net three times while adding an assist. Senior Jade Catlin (Middletown, Md.) added a hat trick, while junior Macy Shultz (Adams, N.Y.) chipped in a goal. In net, sophomore Alexa Kuhn (Rocky Point, N.Y.) made eight saves in the victory.
 
The game opened with both teams locking down on defense, with each side registering only one shot on net for six minutes of play. However, the River Hawks finally broke through with 8:37 on the clock, as Bowers dashed in from the side of the net before sneaking her shot past the keeper, giving UMass Lowell a 1-0 lead. Siena responded, striking twice over five minutes, but only 30 seconds later, Hansen countered with her first goal of the day, knotting the score up at 2-2. The Saints added one more to take a 3-2 lead into the second quarter.
 
It didn't take long for the River Hawks to strike in the second. With 13:46 on the clock, Bowers tallied her second of the day, coming from behind the net before juking past her defender with a spin move, setting herself with an open look. The Saints answered just over a minute later to retake the lead but did not find the back of the net again for nearly ten minutes, thanks to two free-position shots denied by Kuhn. Although the hosts added another in the final minutes, Bowers completed her hat trick with 18 seconds remaining, cutting the deficit to 5-4 heading into the break.
 
Coming out of the half, UMass Lowell erupted on the offensive end, scoring three goals in under five minutes, highlighted by two goals from Catlin. Meanwhile, the defense continued to keep the opposition off the board to keep the River Hawks in the lead, 7-5, midway through the third. They didn't stop there, though, scoring three of the next four goals off the sticks of Bowers, Catlin, and Shultz, to take a four-goal advantage into the final period.
 
Looking to make a comeback in the fourth, the Saints went to work, scoring twice to cut the deficit to two, 10-8, with 8:41 to play. The River Hawks refused to let Siena pull any closer, using a goal by Hansen to extend their lead, before a goal in the final seconds by the hosts sealed the 11-9 decision.
 
Next up, the River Hawks return to Lowell for their first official home game of the season, playing host to Quinnipiac on Wednesday, March 5. Opening draw is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at Cushing Field.