Three 'Cats Record Four Points in 12-7 Win vs. UMass Lowell

Saturday, March 26

Durham, N.H.

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

6-4, 1-0AE

UMass Lowell

2-8, 0-2AE

UMass Lowell

New Hampshire

Photo by: Rick Wilson

3/26/2022 5:48:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Sophomore Mackenzie MacEachern (Bedford, N.H.) led a balanced Wildcats' attacked with a game-high four goals as the University of New Hampshire women's lacrosse team defeated UMass Lowell, 12-7, Saturday afternoon at Wildcat Stadium.

Junior Liv Dunn (Newbury, Mass.) recorded a career-high four assists and freshman Allie Connerty (Norwell, Mass.) also finished with four points with a goal and three assists. Senior captain Delaney Pratt (Lafayette, Colo.) tallied three goals, four draw controls and three ground balls.

Freshman goalkeeper Maria Hagan (Downers Grove, Ill.) was credited with nine saves and one ground ball to improve her record to 4-2. Senior captain Meghan Doyle (Pittsford, N.Y.) finished with a game-high four ground balls and one caused turnover.

UMass Lowell was led offensively by Megan Brockbank (one goal, three assists) and Molly Shaw (three goals). Alex Salim had 12 saves and four ground balls.

UNH, winners of four of its last five games, improved to 6-4 overall by winning its America East conference opener. UML is now 2-8, 0-2.

PHOTO GALLERY
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
WLAX_scoreboard_03.26.22

COACH'S QUIPS: UNH head coach Kacie Lewis

It's a great feeling to start conference play off 1-0. We felt in control of the game throughout every period and were able to adjust and execute.
Defense continues to be a staple in our transition game and has been a consistent impact.
Offensively, we had multiple players contribute and four players with three or more points. Having so many threats has allowed us to run offensive sets with multiple options.
We've had quite a few games back-to-back so I think everyone is looking forward to having a few days to run through drills and reset before heading into our next game against UAlbany.

UP NEXT

New Hampshire returns to action April 6 vs. UAlbany. Game time is 2 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium.

FIRST QUARTER

UNH recorded a 9-5 shot advantage but trailed 3-2 in the opening 15 minutes.
Senior captain Lily Powell (Marcellus, N.Y.) found MacEachern in the middle of the fan for the game's first goal at 11:50.
Sophomore Kelsey MacCallum (Franklin, Mass.) scored a free-position goal to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead at 8:43.
UMass Lowell ended the quarter on a 3-0 run on goals by Shaw (at 4:14), Kaitlin Tobin (3:13) and Shaw again (50 seconds).

SECOND QUARTER

New Hampshire converted its 7-3 shot advantage into a 4-1 edge in goals in the second quarter to take a 6-4 lead into halftime.
Pratt, in the middle of the fan, collected MacCallum's pass and ripped a shot inside the right post to tie the score, 3-3, at 8:45.
Senior Emily Curtis (Walpole, Mass.) flashed down the middle of the fan and one-timed Dunn's pass into the goal to put UNH back in front, 4-3, at 7:59 and the River Hawks never pulled even thereafter.
With the shot clock winding down, Connerty corralled a loose ball low on the right side, took two steps and launched herself low to the ground to create the angle to beat Salim and extend the lead to 5-3 at 5:44.
Connerty's diagonal pass from low on the right side found Pratt alone on the left doorstep for a goal and 6-3 lead at 3:20.
Shaw's third goal of the game ended UNH's run and lifted the River Hawks within 6-4 with 55 seconds on the clock.
UML won the ensuing draw control but lost possession with 27 seconds remaining. UNH cleared the ball to the other end of the field with 12 seconds to play but did not record a shot before the end of the second quarter.

THIRD QUARTER

In a low-scoring third quarter, UNH outscored the visitors 2-1 with a 6-4 shot advantage.
Senior Abby Cranney (Amherst, N.H.) controlled the opening draw of the second half and finished Dunn's feed with a low shot for a goal that pushed the margin to 7-4 at 14;14.
Izzy Liquori's unassisted goal trimmed the deficit to 7-5 at 10:09.
Liquori shot the ball into the back of the net on a free position at 5:27, but the goal was disallowed because of an illegal stick.
Dunn passed to MacEachern, who split a pair of defenders to cut down the middle of the fan, for a goal and 8-5 lead at 3:30.
UML won the ensuing draw control, but Hagan made a save at 2:37 to deny Shaw and preserve the Wildcats' three-goal advantage.

FOURTH QUARTER

UNH outscored the River Hawks 4-2 in the final frame despite the visitor's 10-6 shot advantage in the last 15 minutes.
MacEachern controlled the draw and scored her third goal of the game, this time off Connerty's feed, to push the lead to 9-5 at 14:25.
Liquori lifted UML within 9-6 at 13:33, and then Megan Brockbank scored on the sixth shot of an extended possession to make it 9-7 at 12:24.
The River Hawks controlled the ensuing draw but then lost possession when Cranney corralled a ground ball at 11:54.
Following a successful clear attempt, Connerty found Pratt on the right doorstep and she scored inside the near post to reestablish a three-goal lead, 10-7, at 11:04.
Hagan's save turned aside Jade Caitlin's scoring chance at 10:16.
Both teams committed a turnover and UNH called time out at 8:17, which led to a free-position goal by sophomore Olivia O'Connor (Hopkinton, Mass.) and an 11-7 advantage at 7:49.
Dunn's pass to the front doorstep found MacEachern for her fourth goal of the game and a 12-7 lead at 5:43.
Hagan made one more save in the final minute to keep the margin at five goals.

GAME NOTEBOOK

UNH finished with the edge in shots (28-22), shots on goal (24-16), ground balls (17-15) and turnovers (16-19).
UMass Lowell had a 12-11 advantage in draw controls.
The Wildcats were a perfect 22-for-22 on clear attempts; UML was 17 of 20.
UNH scored on 2 of 5 free-position shots; the River Hawks were 1-for-3.
UMass Lowell was issued three yellow cards; UNH received one.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Pratt, MacEachern and MacCallum all extended their goal and point streaks to eight games.
MacCallum also has a seven-game assist streak.
Cranney now has a seven-game goal streak and eight-game point streak.
Dunn pushed her point streak to seven games.
Junior Ava Schroeder (Niskayuna, N.Y.), sophomore Jesslyn Hounchell (Manchester, N.H.) and freshman Emma Magazu (Newtown, Conn.) led the 'Cats with two caused turnovers apiece.
MacEachern matched Pratt's team-high of four draw controls.
Powell recorded her second career assist; her previous helper came as a freshman in the 2019 season.