Murphy matched her career-best with three goals this afternoon, adding an assist for four points (PHOTO BY Brian Foley) |
Bowers and Catlin net three goals each for River Hawks
LOWELL, Mass. (February 21, 2024) – The University of Massachusetts Lowell grabbed a six-goal halftime lead and made it stand, despite a 7-1 Stonehill College run to close out the game, to remain unbeaten with a 13-9 victory in a non-conference women's lacrosse matchup at Cushing Field this afternoon.
Junior Jade Catlin and freshman Chloe Bowers each scored a team-high three goals to lead the UMass Lowell attack, while Bowers also collected three draw controls, two ground balls and a caused turnover. Freshman Jillian Goldie contributed three points with two goals and an assist, with three draws and two ground balls, while classmate Alexa Kuhn preserved the win with seven saves.
Sophomore Grace Murphy paced the Stonehill attack with a career-high matching three goals, adding an assist for four points and two ground balls. Classmate Natalie Coutu added a career-best four points with a goal and career-high three assists for the Skyhawks, while senior Claire Smith registered 12 saves in goal. Sophomore Emily LaPia chipped in with a career-high two goals for the first multi-goal game of her career.
Murphy posted 12 saves in the Skyhawks goal this afternoon (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
How it Happened
- The two teams traded goals two minutes apart after neither could find the back of the net over the first 8:30 of the contest. Bowers broke the deadlock with a free-position goal with 7:30 remaining in the first quarter, before Murphy equalized with 5:25 left.
- UMass Lowell scored the last four goals of the first quarter, including a pair from Bowers, to open a 7-0 run that produced an 8-1 lead after a goal from sophomore Mia Mitchell with 5:49 to play in the half.
- Murphy gave Stonehill some life with her second goal of the game with just five seconds left in the half, but the River Hawks pulled away further with a four-goal run, from four different players, to open the second half and grab a 12-2 advantage after Catlin's third of the game with 7:05 to play in the third.
- LaPia tallied two player-down goals 12-seconds apart to spark a three-goal run from Stonehill, before freshman Marlee Green halted the run with a goal with 28-seconds remaining that put UMass Lowell back up eight (13-5) heading to the fourth.
- Coutu set up goals from Murphy and senior Molly Mae Hughes that pulled Stonehill within six (13-7) less than five minutes into the fourth quarter, but the rally stalled until Coutu scored with 5:28 to play and then the Skyhawks would get just an additional marker from senior Lilly Leach, assisted by Murphy, with 1:36 on the clock that would wrap up the scoring four goals shy.
Noteworthy
- Smith posted the third double-digit save performance of her career with her 12 stops today - her 11th career start.
- Hughes contributed two goals this afternoon, giving her 96 for her career in 47 games played. She now has 150 career points, having dished out 54 career assists.
- Murphy's career-high matching three goals is the fourth multi-goal game of her collegiate career (16 games).
- Leach also totaled a game-high eight draw controls and two caused turnovers for Stonehill. She has now totaled 196 draw controls in 39 career games.
- Coutu's career-best three assists is the second time she has dished out multiple assists in 12 career games.
Up Next
Stonehill (0-1, 0-0 NEC) is right back in action on Saturday, when it hosts FDU for its home and Northeast Conference opener at W.B. Mason Stadium at noon. UMass Lowell (4-0, 0-0 AE) visits Quinnipiac University on Saturday at 1 p.m.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
