LOWELL, Mass. – Coming off a two-game road trip, the UMass Lowell men's lacrosse team (3-7, 0-3 AE) returns home to host the NJIT Highlanders (1-8, 0-3 AE) on Saturday, April 12.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Graduate student Garrett Murphy (Billerica, Mass.) recorded a goal and an assist, as the UMass Lowell men's lacrosse team (3-7, 0-3 AE) fell to the UMBC Retrievers (5-3, 3-1 AE), 14-4, on Friday afternoon. Tied with Murphy, sophomore Colby Frigon (Providence, R.I.) also added two points, both coming off assists. Sophomore James Donnelly (Ottawa, Ontario) contributed a goal, while sophomore Jayden Consigli (Franklin, Mass.) tallied an assist. Rounding out goal scorers, sophomore Ryan Cho (Acton, Mass.) and freshman Brady Brennan (Newington, Ct.) each added the first goals of their careers. In net, freshman AJ True (Manchester, N.H.) made 13 saves in the start, while sophomore Scott Kosakowski (Westport, Ct.) made two saves in relief.
 
LEADING THE FLOCK
Freshman Danny Burke (Eden Prairie, Minn.) leads the offense, totaling 13 goals and 10 assists, to rank first on the team with 23 points. Behind him, Murphy totals 21 points on 14 goals and seven assists, while sophomore Johnny Soi (Kerhonkson, N.Y.) paces the squad with 16 goals. On defense, freshman Jack Jimenez (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) sits first on the leaderboard for the River Hawks with eight caused turnovers, freshman Miles Kempski (West Chester, Pa.) adds six, sophomore Owen Fitzgerald (Calverton, N.Y.) totals five, and sophomores Hayden Almeida (North Kingstown, R.I.) and Josh Adey (Victoria, B.C.), rank tied for fourth with four. Sophomore Justin Alexander (Franklin, Mass.), who leads the team with 110 faceoff wins on 192 attempts, also has a team-best 57 ground balls collected. In net, True tallies 97 saves through his first nine games, while sophomore Carter O'Brien (Concord, Mass.) totals 22 saves in two starts.

INSTANT IMPACT
The newest faces to Lowell have left their mark right away on the program. Nine newcomers have made at least one start this season, with Burke starting in every game. Through ten games, the newest River Hawks have combined for 50 points off 31 goals and 19 assists, 24 caused turnovers, with freshman AJ True (Manchester, N.H.) taking the spot as the starting goalkeeper in eight of ten games so far.
 
FACEOFF DOMINATION
In his first season as the primary faceoff specialist, Alexander has dominated at the X, posting a .573 win percentage, good for 20th 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 nine games, the freshman totals 23 points, ranking tenth in points per game (2.30) 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 (13) and assists (10), 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 HIGHLANDERS
NJIT enters Saturday's game on a four-game losing streak, most recently falling to conference foe Bryant, 15-6. The Highlanders' offense is led by freshman attack JC Echezuria, who totals ten goals and eight assists for 18 points. Behind him, Alystair Hemberger and Christopher Eiselein both tally double-digit points with 11 and 10, respectively. On defense, Emmerick Dopona leads his squad with 11 caused turnovers and sits third with 18 ground balls. In net, Joey Schwarz and Cameron Kurdyla, with Schwarz starting the last five games, totaling 55 saves for a .455 save percentage.
 
MATCHUP HISTORY
Saturday marks the ninth time the Highlanders and River Hawks have faced off, with UMass Lowell holding a 5-3 advantage all-time.