Sophomore Elizabeth Genovese posted a career-high 11 saves in the cage for Stonehill tonight. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

McCarthy nets double, Hopkins posts seven saves for River Hawks

Junior Rachel McCarthy (Reading, Mass./Reading) scored both goals for UMass Lowell, while classmate Melanie Hopkins (Harwich, Mass./Harwich) preserved the win with seven saves. The River Hawks finished with a 20-17 edge in shots for the contest and 11-9 advantage for penalty corners on the night.

Sophomore Elizabeth Genovese (Street, Md./North Harford) made a career-high 11 saves in goal for Stonehill, including nine in the first half, to give the Skyhawks a shot at a comeback. Junior Kelsey Davis (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) netted her third goal of the season for the Skyhawks.

McCarthy put UMass Lowell in front 11:05 into the game when she converted a penalty stroke into the upper left corner of the cage. She doubled the River Hawks lead at 26:31 when she took a nice pass through the last line of defenders from junior Melissa Effertz (Oceanside, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista) and tucked her 12^th goal of the season to Genovese's right side.

Stonehill got back in the game just over eight minutes later off a penalty corner. Hopkins saved the initial shot from the top of the arc from junior Devin Ingersoll (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry), but the rebound dropped to Davis, who knocked in the goal on the left post at 34:46.

Stonehill outshot UMass Lowell 7-5 in a tightly contested second half, but were unable to get the equalizer despite a late breakaway chance from sophomore Emily Sideris (Watertown, Mass./Watertown) to highlight the Skyhawks chances.

Stonehill (3-4, 0-1 NE-10) is right back in action on Thursday when it visits rival Bentley University for an NE-10 matchup at 7 p.m. The Skyhawks are back at W.B. Mason Stadium on Saturday to host Saint Michael's College in a non-conference clash at noon. UMass Lowell (6-1, 1-0 NE-10) visits Assumption College on Saturday at 1 p.m.