LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell women's soccer team (1-1-0) is set to host its home opener at Cushing Field against Idaho (1-1-0) on August 21, kicking off at 7:15 p.m.
August 21 vs. Idaho
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Looking at UMass Lowell
The River Hawks traveled to Stony Brook last Thursday, securing a 4-2 victory over the Seawolves. UMass Lowell added the first score of the game off a header from junior Marissa Sage (Milford, N.H.) on a corner kick assisted by senior Maddie Guthrie (Stow, Mass.). In the second half, Stony Brook went up 2-1 on the River Hawks, but first goals from freshmen Kiera Fitzpatrick (Methuen, Mass.) and Anneliese Collin (Portland, Me.) helped UMass Lowell regain the lead. A well-experienced forward in sophomore Gaby Eckroth (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) capped the game with a header off another Guthrie corner kick to secure the 4-2 victory. Sophomore Rachel Welch (Franklin, Mass.) recorded a career-high in saves with 11, as Guthrie posted a personal-best three assists in the season opener.
Following Sunday's match at Merrimack, the River Hawks had a tight match with the Warriors, but fell in a 2-1 contest in the second game of the season. Sophomore Nina Hertz-Saebbö (Gothenburg, Sweden) registered the first goal of her collegiate career, as freshman Emma Theorén (Sollentuna, Vällingby) added her first assist. The Warriors had a slight edge on shots, outshooting the River Hawks 17-15. Welch made six saves in goal.
Scouting the Vandals
Idaho faced off against UC Riverside this past Thursday, taking a 2-0 decision at home. In the Vandals' second match of the season, Idaho dropped a 4-0 outcome at Washington.
Graduate student Annika Farley and junior Georgia Whitehead lead the team in points (2), goals (1), and shots (4). Junior Tori Peters sits at the top on the team in assists (1).
Redshirt sophomore Paula Flores and junior Izzy Thoma are tied for a team-high in minutes with 180. In net, Flores has started in two games, collecting six saves for a .600 save percentage, so far this season.
Idaho Matchup History
Thursday will mark the first match between UMass Lowell and Idaho in the Division I era.
America East Offensive Player of the Week
Guthrie began the 2025 season on a high, as the midfielder was selected as the Week One America East Offensive Player of the Week. The senior collected a career-high three assists in the season opener at Stony Brook, including what proved to be an assist on the game-winner.
Record-Breaking Opener
The River Hawks offered a strong performance last week against Stony Brook, as the four goals scored in the opening game set a new UMass Lowell DI record for most goals scored in a season opener. The previous record was three goals scored on August 27, 2015, versus Rhode Island.
Leading the Flock
Guthrie leads the team in points (3) and assists (3) after two games. Welch has logged the most minutes so far with 180, with senior Megan Banzi (Plymouth, Mass.) right behind her with 164 minutes played.
Eckroth, Hertz-Saebbö, Sage, Fitzpatrick, and Collin are all tied on the team for most goals with one and all sit tied for second in points (2).
Eckroth has unleashed the most shots on the team with seven, as Sage ranks second with six total shots.
Between the Posts
Welch begins the 2025 season in net for the River Hawks, starting in both matches so far. The sophomore has made 17 saves to earn a .810 save percentage and one victory this season.
Around the America East
Eckroth is ranked third in the conference in shots (7) and shots per game (3.50), while Sage is right behind, ranking fifth for shots (6) and shots per game (3.00).
Sage, Collin, Hertz-Saebbö, Eckroth, and Fitzpatrick all sit tied at the top of the America East leaderboards with one goal each. Meanwhile, Guthrie sits at the top of the conference in assists with three and assists per game with 1.50. Senior Nadja Andersen (Nakskov, Denmark), sophomore Nuala Rodgers (Dedham, Mass.), and Theorén are all tied for second in assists (1).
In the goalkeeper rankings, Welch ranks first in saves per game with 8.50, while sitting in third in the conference for save percentage (.810).
As a team, UMass Lowell currently leads the conference in points (16), goals (5), assists (6), and saves (17). The River Hawks also sit in second in the America East in shots (28).
