River Hawks Defeat UAlbany, 2-0, to Win 2026 America East Regular-Season Title

Thursday, October 29

Albany, NY

2PM

University of Massachusetts Lowell

(10-7, 4-1)

UAlbany

(9-6, 3-2)

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
UMass Lowell	0	0	1	1	2
UAlbany	0	0	0	0	0

UMass Lowell field hockey team photo with championship trophy

10/29/2026 5:03:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

ALBANY, N.Y. – Senior Florine Gerrits (Amstelveen, Netherlands) registered three points to help lift the UMass Lowell field hockey team (10-7, 4-1 AE) to a 2-0 victory at UAlbany (9-6, 3-2 AE), securing the 2026 America East regular-season crown.

With the win, the River Hawks have earned their second regular-season league title in three years, after taking their first in 2023. UMass Lowell has also earned the No. 1 seed for the America East Championship and first-round bye. The team will now host a semifinal matchup at Wicked Blue Field on Tuesday, November 3 at 1 p.m.

"I am so proud of this entire team, led by this incredible senior class," said Head Coach Shannon LeBlanc. "Winning a regular season takes a tremendous amount of discipline and capacity throughout the entire month of October. Today was a battle and I think we were battle tested since August. A special thanks to the entire staff for preparing the team, not only for this game, but for every game. The team has been prepared and locked in, and that's due to their belief in our plan and their ability to execute. A new season is on the horizon and we are excited to start preparing for Tuesday."

Gerrits logged the game-winning goal and one assist in the contest. Sophomore Rena Pistilli (Lambaré, Paraguay) added a goal of her own on the day, while senior Alice Van Hemelen (Tervuren, Belgium) and freshman Frédèrique van den Dungen (Rosmalen, Netherlands) each chipped in with an assist. Sophomores Veerle Mous (Breda, Netherlands) and Megan MacMiller (Tarzana, Calif.) combined for three saves, as well.

The River Hawk defense swiftly handled all the action they faced in the first quarter, as UAlbany pressured with three early shots and a corner. UMass Lowell then earned a corner of its own in the 15^th minute, but Pistilli's sweep from the top of the circle was blocked.

The teams traded shots on goal early in the second quarter, as sophomore Alexa Guarneri (Hockessin, Del.) put a chance on target in the 18^th minute for the visitors. The River Hawks forced one more corner in the waning minutes of the half, but the squads would remain deadlocked at 0-0 heading into the break.

The Great Danes tested MacMiller in the 35^th minute, but she quickly booted the ball away. Late in the period, the River Hawks pressured with three corners in a row, converting on the final one in the 45^th minute, as Gerrits redirected a ball from Van Hemelen to make it 1-0 after three quarters of action.

Van den Dungen (Rosmalen, Netherlands) came up with an important defensive save on a corner by the Great Danes in the 47^th minute to keep her side on top. Three minutes later, the River Hawks would add an insurance goal on another corner opportunity, this time off a blast from Pistilli, stretching the lead to 2-0. The home side registered the final two corners of the afternoon, but UMass Lowell thwarted the opportunities to hold on for the victory.

The River Hawks will find out their opponent for Tuesday's semifinal following quarterfinal action around the conference on Sunday, Nov. 1.