LOWELL, Mass. – Sophomore Karlijn Kerkhof (Rotterdam, Netherlands) scored two goals, including the game winner in the 62^nd minute, to propel the UMass Lowell field hockey team (4-4) to a 3-2 overtime victory against Kent State (1-6) on Alumni Day Sunday at Wicked Blue Field.
 
"I couldn't be more proud of our performance today," said Head Coach Shannon LeBlanc. "Going down twice and tying it up, and then winning in overtime, it just speaks to the grit, the resilience, and the commitment to our philosophy of staying in every game and making sure we make the most of every opportunity. I just couldn't be happier with this performance in front of so many of our alums and special supports of this program, it was just amazing."
 
After forcing a pair of stalemates during the game, the River Hawks fended off a late attack by the Golden Flashes to force overtime. Less than two minutes into the extra period, junior Florine Gerrits (Amstelveen, Netherlands) collected the ball near the UMass Lowell offensive end line and stay composed in the midst of a crowd of defenders, able to push a pass back to the middle of the circle where a waiting Kerkhof settled it and fired hard to the far corner for the win.
 
"Before overtime, we talked about what we do best – we pass, we play, we take opportunities as they come and make the most of them," added LeBlanc. "Watching Flo stay composed on the baseline and arching out like we've been working on, and Karlijn really making sure she wasn't going to miss that open net – that's deliberate, that's intentional and that's exactly what we are looking for going forward in the season."
 
The performance marked the second, multi-goal game for Kerkhof this season. It also extended her current point stream to six games. Sophomore Alice Van Hemelen (Tervuren, Belgium) also added a goal in the outing, while freshman goalkeeper Veerle Mous (Breda, Netherlands) totaled three saves.
 
The teams traded possession in the opening minutes of the contest with both looking for an offensive advantage. Van Hemelen went reverse stick for the River Hawks' first shot of the day in the 12^th minute before sophomore Audrey Carter (Dover, N.H.) put an attempt on target that was stopped by the opposing keeper to maintain a scoreless stalemate through the first complete quarter.
 
The offense for both sides ignited in the second quarter, combining for two goals in the first four minutes. Kent State first jumped in front when Emma Rolston forced a turnover on a restart before dribbling into the circle and launching a shot on cage. However, the home team quickly responded in the 19^th minute, as Kerkhof carried the ball the length of the 25-yard line to switch sides and create an open slot into the circle for the equalizer, making it 1-1. Neither side was able to break the tie in the waning minutes of the half, sending the teams into the break deadlocked.
 
Kent State tested Mous in the first minute of the third quarter, but the freshman keeper stood strong. In the 40^th minute, the River Hawks earned their second corner of the day and registered a hard shot by freshman Rena Pistilli (Lambaré, Paraguay), but the attempt was saved. Then in the final seconds of the period, junior Karli Penrod (Seaford, Del.) created space for a chance to go top shelf, but the Golden Flashes' keeper managed to tip it out of play with her outstretched stick.
 
The teams continued their evenly matched battle before Emma Seger centered a pass in the circle to set up a one-timer from Maybritt Duwel to put the visitors on top, 2-1, in the 49^th minute.
 
Leeper dribbled in and forced a corner in the 52^nd minute, but was unable to convert on the opportunity. A minute later, though, Van Hemelen fought through multiple defenders and ripped a shot through traffic to even the board at 2-2.
 
UMass Lowell successfully defended a Kent State corner and three shots down the stretch to force overtime.
 
The River Hawks are off until next Sunday, September 28 at 1 p.m. when they visit Brown of the Ivy League.