LOWELL, Mass. – Looking for a bounce back win, the UMass Lowell men's lacrosse team (3-6, 0-2 AE) hits the road to take on the UMBC Retrievers (4-3, 2-1 AE) in an America East battle on Friday, April 4.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Sophomore Johnny Soi (Kerhonkson, N.Y.) scored two goals, as the UMass Lowell men's lacrosse team (3-6, 0-2 AE) fell to the UAlbany Great Danes (3-7, 1-2 AE), 17-6, on Saturday afternoon. Soi, who added two ground balls to his stat sheet, was one of six River Hawks to record a point on the day. Freshman Danny Burke (Eden Prairie, Minn.) finished with a goal and an assist, graduate student Garrett Murphy (Billerica, Mass.) and sophomore Colby Frigon (Providence, R.I.) each added a goal. Sophomore Maverick Chedel (Groveland, Mass.) chipped in with the first goal of his career, while freshman Griffin Sumwalt (Aquebogue, N.Y.) tallied an assist.
 
LEADING THE FLOCK
Burke leads the offense, totaling 13 goals and ten assists, to rank first on the team with 23 points. Behind him, Murphy totals 19 points on 13 goals and six assists, while Soi 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, sophomore Owen Fitzgerald (Calverton, N.Y.) and freshman Miles Kempski (West Chester, Pa.) each total five, with sophomores Hayden Almeida (North Kingstown, R.I.) and Josh Adey (Victoria, B.C.), ranking tied for third with four. Sophomore Justin Alexander (Franklin, Mass.), who leads the team with 101 faceoff wins on 176 attempts, also has a team-best 51 ground balls collected. In net, True tallies 84 saves through his first seven eight games, while sophomore Carter O'Brien (Concord, Mass.) has started the last two games, making 22 saves.
 
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 nine games, the newest River Hawks have combined for 49 points off 30 goals and 19 assists, 23 caused turnovers, with freshman AJ True (Manchester, N.H.) taking the spot as the starting goalkeeper in seven of nine games so far.
 
FACEOFF DOMINATION
In his first season as the primary faceoff specialist, Alexander has dominated at the X, posting a .574 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 eighth in points per game (2.56) 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 RETRIEVERS
The Retrievers are led by senior midfielder Jordan Galloway, who totals 14 goals and ten assists for 24 points. Behind him, Corey Myers and Xander Maxwell both tally 14 points on the year to sit second. Defensively, Dante Marinello and Dylan Sharpe both pace the Retrievers with 11 caused turnovers, while Connor McMahon has served as the starting goaltender in all seven games, making 55 saves for a .426 save percentage.
 
MATCHUP HISTORY
Friday marks the tenth time the Retrievers and River Hawks have faced off, with UMBC holding a 7-2 advantage all-time.