LOWELL, Mass. – Looking to end on a high note, the UMass Lowell men's lacrosse team (4-8, 1-4 AE) hosts the Bryant Bulldogs (8-4, 3-1 AE) on Saturday, April 26, to close out the 2025 season.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Freshman Danny Burke (Eden Prairie, Minn.) tallied a team-high three points, as the UMass Lowell men's lacrosse team (4-8, 1-4 AE) fell to the Vermont Catamounts (5-6, 3-2 AE), 17-9, on Saturday afternoon. Burke, who finished with a goal and two assists, was one of nine River Hawks to record a point. Right behind him, graduate student Garrett Murphy (Billerica, Mass.) added two goals, while senior Riley Lawhorn (Amherst, N.H.), sophomore Johnny Soi (Kerhonkson, N.Y.), and freshman Alex Lafreniere (Chelmsford, Mass.) each tallied a goal and an assist. Also finding the back of the net were sophomores Colby Frigon (Providence, R.I.) and Ryan Cho (Acton, Mass.), and freshman Griffin Sumwalt (Aquebogue, N.Y.), who all tallied a goal. Rounding things out, sophomore James Donnelly (Ottawa, Ontario) added an assist. In net, freshman AJ True (Manchester, N.H.) made a career-high 18 saves in the start.
 
LEADING THE FLOCK
Burke leads the offense through 12 games, totaling 15 goals and 13 assists, to rank first on the team with 28 points. Behind him, Murphy totals 24 points on 17 goals and seven assists, while Soi paces the squad with 19 goals. On defense, freshman Jack Jimenez (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) sits first on the leaderboard for the River Hawks with nine caused turnovers, while sophomore Josh Adey (Victoria, B.C.) sits second with seven and freshman Miles Kempski (West Chester, Pa.) ranks third with six. Sophomore Justin Alexander (Franklin, Mass.), who leads the team with 128 faceoff wins on 235 attempts, also has a team-best 72 ground balls collected. In net, True tallies 127 saves through his first 11 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 12 games, the newest River Hawks have combined for 59 points off 36 goals and 23 assists, 28 caused turnovers, with freshman AJ True (Manchester, N.H.) taking the spot as the starting goalkeeper in ten of 12 games so far.
 
FACEOFF DOMINATION
In his first season as the primary faceoff specialist, Alexander has dominated at the X, posting a .545 win percentage, good for 29^th in the country and fourth 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 12 games, the freshman totals 28 points, ranking eighth in points per game (2.33) 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 (15) and assists (13), and for his efforts was named an honorable mention on the Inside Lacrosse Early Season and Late Season Impact Freshmen list.
 
AMERICA EAST HONORS
After making 12 saves while holding the Highlanders to eight goals in the team's first conference win of the season, True was named the America East Goalkeeper of the Week, his second time earning the honor and third time earning a conference weekly award. 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 BULLDOGS
Bryant enters Saturday's match on a four-game win streak, most recently taking down America East rival Binghamton. The Bulldogs' offense is led by Brian Russell who paces his squad in assists (23) and points (39). Only a point behind is the team's top goal-scorer, Dawson Rielly, who has found the back of the net 33 times. Drew Lucas leads the defense with 21 caused turnovers and 34 ground balls, while Scott Einarson has served as the primary goalkeeper, making 129 saves in 12 starts.
 
MATCHUP HISTORY
Saturday marks the third matchup between Bryant and UMass Lowell, with Bryant claiming victory in the first two games.