LOWELL, Mass. – Coming off their first ever America East Regular Season Championship, the No. 2 seeded UMass Lowell River Hawks (11-5, 5-1 AE) hit the road to take on the No. 3 UAlbany Great Danes (7-9, 4-2 AE) in a neutral site contest at Bierne Stadium in Smithfield, R.I. on Friday, May 2.
LAST TIME OUT
Sophomore Jillian Goldie (Owen Sound, Ontario) tallied a team-high four goals, as the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team (11-5, 5-1 AE) was tripped up by the Bryant Bulldogs (10-6, 5-1 AE), 15-8, on Saturday afternoon. Goldie, who has now recorded at least three points in ten of eleven games, was one of four River Hawks to tally at least a point in the match. Right behind her, sophomore Chloe Bowers (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) finished with a hat trick, while senior Jade Catlin (Middletown, Md.) added a goal. Rounding things out, sophomore Marlee Green (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) chipped in with an assist. In net, sophomore Alexa Kuhn (Rocky Point, N.Y.) made nine saves.
LEADING THE FLOCK
Catlin paces the offense through 16 games, scoring a program-record 50 goals alongside six assists for 56 points. Behind her, Goldie ranks second with 46 points on 33 goals and 13 assists. Bowers and junior
Audra Hansen (Stamford, Ct.) are tied for third on the squad with 42 points, while junior
Grace Lydon (Rowley, Mass.) totals a team-best 14 assists. Senior
Daia Hansford (Bowie, Md.) and sophomore
Allie Reading (Draper, Utah) sit second on the squad with 14 caused turnovers, four behind Catlins' 18. Junior
Rachel Stax (Milton, Ga.) has totaled 73 draw controls so far this season, a new career high, and in net Kuhn has made 153 saves, good for a .474 save percentage, ranking 20th in the country and first in the conference through 16 games.
ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS
This season has been one to remember for the River Hawks, with multiple program records being shattered since the season opener. With four goals in game one against Manhattan, Catlin reached the 94 career goals mark, setting the new record for goals in a career for a River Hawk. Only two games later, she set the points record for the program, surpassing the previous high of 137 points. Against UMBC, Goldie added her name to the record books, tallying a new single-game high of nine points, including a career-best six goals. Finally, in the final week of the regular-season, Catlin reached the 50 goals scored mark, surpassing her and Bowers' previous single-season record of 48 goals scored, both reaching that number during the 2024 season.
SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST
In her senior season, Jade Catlin is putting up one of the best seasons of her career, ranking in the top 15 in the America East in nearly every major statistical category. One of the top offensive players in the conference, she ranks ninth in points per game (3.50) and third in goals per game (3.13). Meanwhile, she also sits 11th in draw controls (3.06), and tied for seventh in caused turnovers (1.13). This season, she has set the program record in career points, career goals, as well as single-season goals. For her efforts, she was named the America East Attacker of the Year following the conclusion of the regular season, the first River Hawk to earn the honor and only the third major award in program history.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP IN SIGHT
In only her sophomore year,
Alexa Kuhn has made her name known as not only one of the best goalkeepers in the conference, but in the nation. With a .470 save percentage that ranks 20th in the country, the goalkeeper has also made 151 total saves in 16 games, good for a .944 saves per game average, also ranking 20th in Division I. Against Dartmouth, Kuhn tied her career high with 16 saves, including eight in the first quarter, one of nine double-digit saves performances she has had this season. For her incredible efforts all season long, she was tabbed the America East Goalkeeper of the Year following the end of the regular season, the first in program history to earn the honor, and only one of four River Hawks to earn a major award in program history.
FREE IS FOR ME
The River Hawks have been one of the best teams in the nation when earning a free position shot, posting a .545 free position percentage, which ranks sixth in the country. Leading the way for UMass Lowell, Catlin owns a .640 free position percentage, sitting 18th in the country, while averaging 1.00 free position goals per game, which ranks 15th in Division I.
LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD
This season, the River Hawks are averaging 13.00 goals per game, which ranks second in the America East. The second-best rate in program history, UMass Lowellís offense is led six different River Hawks who have each tallied at least 20 goals and 30 points. Although Catlin's 56 points lead the way, Goldie's 46 points in only 11 games rank third in the conference in points per game (4.18) highlighted by a program record nine points in the win over UMBC.
AMERICA EAST HONORS
Following the conclusion of a historic regular season that resulted in the first America East Regular Season title in program history, the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team was well represented in the conference's end-of-season awards, as ten River Hawks have earned All-Conference honors, as announced by the conference on Thursday morning. For the second straight year, at least one River Hawk was recognized among the league's major award winners, as Catlin was named the America East Attacker of the Year following the best season of her career, while Kuhn was named the America East Goalkeeper of the Year after finishing the season with one of the highest save percentages in the nation. In addition to winning the major award, Catlin was named to the All-Conference First Team for the second straight season, as well as the All-Academic Team for the first time in her career. Kuhn was also named to the All-Conference First Team; the first time UMass Lowell has had a goalkeeper tabbed to the list. Hansen joined them in being recognized by the conference and earned her spot on the All-Conference First Team and All-Academic Team, while Goldie was also slotted to the First Team. Meanwhile, Hansford, senior captain Elsa Skinner (Annapolis, Md.), and Stax all earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team. Freshmen
Madison Carter (Baltimore, Md.) and
Awa Dembele (Harlem, N.Y.) were tabbed to the All-Rookie Team, and Lydon rounded things out by earning a spot on the All-Academic Team.
SCOUTING UALBANY
The Great Danes enter Friday's match riding a three-game win streak, most recently taking down Binghamton 19-9 in the season finale. UAlbany's offense is led by Mikaela Mooney, who totals 59 points on 30 goals and 29 assists, and Dylana Williams, who tallies a team-high 41 goals. On defense, Delilah Mile paces the team with 19 caused turnovers alongside 21 ground balls and in net, Grace Cincebox has started the majority of the team's games, making 55 saves while allowing 130 goals for a .297 save percentage in 11 starts.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Friday marks the 12th matchup between UMass Lowell and UAlbany, with UAlbany owning a 10-1 record in those games. The last time out, the River Hawks took down the Great Danes, 13-9, at Cushing Field for the program's first ever win in the all-time series. The two teams also matched up in the America East Semifinals last season, with the Great Danes pulling out a 12-11 victory in the final minutes.
