LOWELL, Mass. – After a tight battle with #17 Massachusetts, the UMass Lowell men's lacrosse team (3-5, 0-1 AE) hits the road to resume conference play when they visit the UAlbany Great Danes (2-7, 0-2 AE) on Saturday, March 29.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Graduate student Garrett Murphy (Billerica, Mass.) tallied three goals, as the UMass Lowell men's lacrosse team (3-5) took the #17 Massachusetts Minutemen (7-1) down to the wire but fell in the final minutes, 10-9, on Tuesday afternoon. Murphy, who also collected two ground balls in the match, was one of seven River Hawks to tally a point. Senior Riley Lawhorn (Amherst, N.H.) finished with a goal and an assist, with sophomore Johnny Soi (Kerhonkson, N.Y.) adding two goals. Sophomores Colby Frigon (Providence, R.I.) and Justin Alexander (Franklin, Mass.) and freshman Griffin Sumwalt (Aquebogue, N.Y.) all chipped in a goal, while sophomore James Donnelly (Ottawa, Ontario) added an assist. In net, sophomore Carter O'Brien (Concord, Mass.) earned his first career start, making 13 saves in just under 60 minutes of action.
 
LEADING THE FLOCK
Freshman Danny Burke (Eden Prairie, Minn.) leads the offense, totaling 12 goals and nine assists, to rank first on the team with 21 points. Behind him, Murphy totals 18 points on 12 goals and six assists, while Lawhorn paces the squad with 15 goals. On defense, freshman Jack Jimenez (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) sits first on the leaderboard for the River Hawks with seven caused turnovers, sophomore Owen Fitzgerald (Calverton, N.Y.) totals five, with sophomores Hayden Almeida (North Kingstown, R.I.) and Josh Adey (Victoria, B.C.), and freshman Miles Kempski (West Chester, Pa.) ranking tied for third with four. Sophomore Justin Alexander (Franklin, Mass.), who leads the team with 100 faceoff wins on 164 attempts, also has a team-best 50 ground balls collected. In net, True tallies 82 saves through his first seven career games, while O'Brien made his first career start last week, making 13 saves while allowing only 10 goals.
 
INSTANT IMPACT
The newest faces to Lowell have left their mark right away on the program. Eight newcomers have made at least one start this season, with Burke starting in every game. Through eight games, the newest River Hawks have combined for 46 points off 29 goals and 17 assists, 21 caused turnovers, with True taking the spot as the starting goalkeeper in seven of eight games so far.
 
FACEOFF DOMINATION
In his first season as the primary faceoff specialist, Alexander has dominated at the X, posting a .610 win percentage, good for 12th in the country and second in the conference. Although he won a career-high 16 faceoffs at Wagner, his best performance of the season came in the win against Mercyhurst, when he went 14-17, good for a .824 win percentage, on his way to a personal-best 12 ground balls collected. Against #17 Massachusetts, Alexander had one of the best plays of his young career, winning the faceoff before bolting past a handful of defenders and ripping a shot into the back of the net for his first career goal.
 
FRESHMAN PHENOM
In his first season as a River Hawk, Burke has proven to be one of the best offensive players in the America East. Through the first eight games, the freshman totals 21 points, ranking seventh in points per game (2.63) and first among freshmen in the conference. The only River Hawk to start in every game, Burke also leads all America East freshmen in goals (12) and assists (9), and for his efforts was named an honorable mention on the Inside Lacrosse Early Season Impact Freshmen list on March 19.
 
AMERICA EAST HONORS
After tying his career high with 17 saves against Queens, True was named the America East Rookie of the Week, his second weekly award of the season after earning Goalkeeper of the Week earlier in the season. In Week Two, Burke was named the America East Rookie of the Week, while Almeida was tabbed the conference's Defensive Player of the Week. It was the second time this season the River Hawks earned two weekly awards, with Lawhorn earning Offensive Player of the Week and True snagging Goalkeeper of the Week honors in Week One.
 
SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES
UAlbany is led by junior attack Silas Richmond, who currently leads his squad with 36 points and 19 assists, including a seven-assist day in the season opener against Colgate. Behind him, Ryan Doherty tallies a team-best 24 goals in seven games, while five other Great Danes total double-digit scoring. On defense, Max Neeson paces his team with 14 caused turnovers and sits second with 27 ground balls. CJ Schwarz has taken the majority of faceoffs, going 49-118 at the X. In net, Brady Smith and Landon Whitney have split time, with Smith starting in six of seven appearances, making 70 saves and allowing 71 goals in 366 minutes of action.
 
MATCHUP HISTORY
Saturday marks the eleventh meeting all time between the Great Danes and River Hawks, with UAlbany posting wins in each match.