LOWELL, Mass. – Following a dominant performance last weekend against Le Moyne, the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team (6-2, 0-0 AE) welcomes the New Hampshire Wildcats (2-5, 0-0 AE) to town to open America East play on Sunday, March 16, at 12 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
Senior Jade Catlin (Middletown, Md.) tallied three goals and an assist, as the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team (6-2) cruised to a 16-5 victory over the Le Moyne Dolphins (1-5) on Saturday afternoon. Catlin, who also led the squad with four draw controls, was one of 11 River Hawks to record a point and one of five to score at least two goals. Tying Catlin with four points was junior Macy Shultz (Adams, N.Y.), who finished with two goals and two assists, while sophomore Chloe Bowers (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) added three goals. Sophomore Kaitlyn McKinnon (Concord, N.H.) and junior Grace Lydon (Rowley, Mass.) each chipped in two goals. At the same time, sophomores Bronwyn Hilbert (Lancaster, Pa.) and Marlee Green (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) finished with a goal and an assist each. In net, sophomore Alexa Kuhn (Rocky Point, N.Y.) and freshman Erin-Kate Roeder (Fallston, Md.) split time, with each goalkeeper making three saves.

LEADING THE FLOCK
Bowers paces the offense with 24 goals and 31 points, with Catlin only four points behind her off 23 goals and four assists. Sitting third, Hansen totals 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points, while freshman Georgia Ruscitti (Toronto, Ontario) has a team-best 11 assists. Catlin alongside sophomore Allie Reading (Draper, Utah) both pace the squad with ten caused turnovers, tailed by junior Grace Lydon (Rowley, Mass.) who totals eight. Junior Rachel Stax (Milton, Ga.) has totaled 22 draw controls so far this season, and in net, Kuhn has made 67 saves, good for a .496 save percentage, in eight games.

FREE IS FOR ME
The River Hawks have been one of the best teams in the nation on free position shots this year, ranking second in the conference and 22^nd in the nation with a .514 free position percentage. Individually, Bowers is tied with Clarie Baenziger of Youngstown State and Kori Edmondson of Maryland for first in the country with a .875 conversion rate. Not far behind, Catlin's .750 free position percentage ranks tenth in Division I and second in the America East, only behind her teammate.

AMERICA EAST HONORS
After a pair of strong showings in a two-game week, Kuhn was named the America East Goaltender of the Week on Monday afternoon. In week three, Kuhn earned the same honor while Reading was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Week, marking the second straight week the River Hawks earned the two honors, as Kuhn was the Goaltender of the Week and freshman Madison Carter (Baltimore, Md.) the Defensive Player of the Week in Week Two. After setting the program's career goals record with an impressive four-goal performance in the season opener win, Catlin was named the America East Offensive Player of the Week in Week One.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
New Hampshire enters Sunday's matchup with a 2-5 record, including falling short in their last two matchups. This season, they are led by senior attack Allie Connerty, who paces her squad in both goals (13) and points (21). Trailing her, Rose Pavuk's ten assists lead the team, with her 17 points ranking second. Defensively, Paige Kenny owns a team-best six caused turnovers, including a season-high three against Sacred Heart. In net, freshman Ellie Thomas has started all seven games this year, totaling 79 saves with 96 goals allowed, good for a .451 save percentage.
 
MATCHUP HISTORY
UMass Lowell and New Hampshire have faced off nine times, with the Wildcats holding a 7-2 all-time series advantage. Last year, the River Hawks earned an 18-10 victory on the road, highlighted by five point performances from Lydon and Shultz.