LOWELL, Mass. – After having a week break while riding a two-game win streak, the UMass Lowell men's lacrosse team (2-1) kicks off a four-game stretch away from home, starting on Tuesday, March 3, when they visit the #19 Massachusetts Minutemen (5-1). Opening faceoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Garber Field.

LAST TIME OUT
Junior Colby Frigon (Providence, R.I.) set a new career-high with five goals, as the UMass Lowell men's lacrosse team dominated in the second half to earn a 16-7 victory over the Wagner Seahawks. Frigon, who collected two ground balls as well, was one of 12 River Hawks to record a point in the battle. Also recording five points, junior Johnny Soi (Kerhonkson, N.Y.) and sophomore Griffin Sumwalt (Aquebogue, N.Y.) both totaled three goals and two assists, while sophomore Alex Lafreniere (Chelmsford, Mass.) turned in a multi-point game with a goal and an assist. Meanwhile, juniors Jackson Schlicker (Portland, Ore.) and Nolan Marshall (Oakville, Ontario), sophomore Danny Burke (Eden Prairie, Minn.), and freshman Ryan Proctor (Uxbridge, Ontario) all scored once. In net, junior Carter O'Brien (Concord, Mass.) made 10 saves and allowed only seven goals in the start.

LEADING THE FLOCK
Through three games, Lafreniere and redshirt sophomore James Donnelly (Ottawa, Ontario) lead the squad with 10 points each, with Donnelly posting a team-high five assists and Lafreniere totaling a team-best eight goals. Behind them, four River Hawks total seven points, while three others have at least two points. At the X, junior Justin Alexander (Franklin, Mass.) owns a .680 (51-75) win percentage, while collecting a team-high 28 ground balls. Defensively, Schlicker adds six caused turnovers and a ground ball, and in net O'Brien, junior Scott Kosakowski (Westport, Ct.), and sophomore AJ True (Manchester, N.H.) have all split time, each making ten saves in their respective starts.
 
RECORDING RECORDS
In the team's second game of the year against Mercyhurst, Donnelly put on a show, totaling five goals and three assists, both career-highs, to set a new DI single-game program record with eight points. He also made sure to come up clutch for the River Hawks, scoring twice in the final four minutes, including once with six seconds remaining, to send the game to overtime, setting up the thrilling, 14-13 double overtime finish.
 
OVERTIME MADNESS
The River Hawks put their resilience to the test early in the season, rallying from a three-goal deficit in the fourth quarter against Mercyhurst to send the battle to overtime. The defense stood strong in extra time, not allowing a single shot, to push the game to a second extra period, where Frigon went on to score the game-winner for UMass Lowell with 1:35 remaining. The win marked the first overtime victory for the River Hawks since taking down conference foe UMBC, 13-12, in overtime during the 2019 season.

SCOUTING #19 MASSACHUSETTS
After falling in their first game of the season to then  #12 Army, the Minutemen have caught fire, winning their last five games, including a 15-9 victory over #20 UAlbany the last time out. Leading the way on offensive for Massachusetts is Jack Turowsky, who totals 14 goals and eight assists for 22 points, with Robbie Granara one point behind him off 12 goals and a team-high nine assists. Defensively, Zach Auble paces his squad with 11 caused turnovers and 26 ground balls, while TJ Casey currently sits at a 44-63 record on the faceoff. In net, Owen Salanger has started all six games, making 86 saves while allowing only 57 goals, good for a .601 save percentage.

MATCHUP HISTORY
UMass Lowell and Massachusetts have battled eight times, with the Minutemen earning the win in each game. Last year, the game came down to the wire at Cushing Field, with the River Hawks falling 10-9 in the final minutes.