Thomas Records 12 Saves in 15-8 Loss at UMass Lowell

Sunday, March 16

Lowell, Mass.

12 PM

University of New Hampshire

2-6, (0-1AE)

UMass Lowell

7-2, (1-0AE)

WILDCA~7

UMass Lowell

3/16/2025 6:54:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

LOWELL, Mass. – Freshman goalkeeper Ellie Thomas (Needham, Mass.) recorded 12 saves but the University of New Hampshire women's lacrosse team was toppled 15-8 by UMass Lowell in Sunday afternoon's America East conference opener at Cushing Field.

Thomas, the reigning America East Rookie of the Week, was credited with four saves in the first quarter and five in the third quarter, as well as two in the second and one in the fourth.

Classmate Libby Boland (Victor, N.Y.) led UNH's offense with three points on two goals and an assist. Junior Rose Pavuk (York, Maine; two goals) and sophomore Dale Meskill (Keller, Texas; goal, assist) both tallied two points.

Senior captain Allie Connerty (Norwell, Mass.), junior Kate O'Rourke (Franklin, Mass.) and freshman Makayla Keys (Fairport, N.Y.) were the other Wildcats who scored a goal. It was Connerty's 50^th career goal.

UML was led offensively by Jade Catlin (four goals, one assist) and Grace Lydon (1g, 4a). Alexa Kuhn made six saves.

UNH moves to 2-6 overall and 0-1 in America East, while UMass Lowell is now 7-2, 1-0 AE.

UP NEXT

New Hampshire returns to action March 21 (3 p.m.) for a Senior Day matchup against UMBC.

FIRST QUARTER

UNH held a pair of one-goal leads as both teams scored twice in the opening 15 minutes.
Connerty gave the 'Cats an early 1-0 lead when she dodged a defender on the left side to advance to the middle of the fan and score on a low shot at 14:11.
Catlin tied the score, 1-1, at 10:57 and it did not change for nearly seven minutes.
Pavuk cut across the fan to the left, stopped and double backed ot the middle of the fan where she also scored on a low shot to put UNH back in front, 2-1, at 4:10.
Chloe Bowers scored with 42 seconds on the clock to tie the game at 2.

SECOND QUARTER

The River Hawks scored the first two goals of the second quarter – at 12:41 and 11:58 – to take their first lead of the game
On a free position from the left side, O'Rourke scored on a shot inside the near post to left New Hampshire within 4-3 at 10:43.
Jillian Goldie reestablished a two-goal advantage, 5-3, 38 seconds later.
Boland attacked down the right side to beat the defender, curled to the middle of the fan and scored on a bounce shot at 9:30 to once again make it a one-goal margin, 5-4.
UML scored five consecutive goals at 6:01, 5:03, 3:34, 1:33 and 47 seconds to gradually extend the lead to 10-4.

THIRD QUARTER

Marcy Shultz scored the only goal of the third quarter at 10:49 to push the margin to 11-4.

FOURTH QUARTER

Both teams scored four goals in the fourth quarter.
Marlee Green advanced the score to 12-4 at 14:28.
Circling behind the net, Meskill found Pavuk cutting down the middle and her quick release sent the ball into the goal to trim the deficit to 12-5 at 10:22.
Catlin scored consecutive goals to give the River Hawks a 14-5 lead at 8:58.
UNH won the ensuing draw control and Meskill, from behind the net, circled around the left post and ripped a high shot into the goal to make it 14-6 at 8:34.
Boland dodged left past her defender at the top of the 12-meter and fired a shot from the top of the 8m into the net at 5:03.
With just under two minutes remaining, Pavuk forced a turnover in the attack zone and corralled the ground ball. She slipped a pass to the middle for Boland, who in turn found Keys alone on the left side and she deposited a shot inside the near post to lift the 'Cats within 14-8 at 1:46.
UML ended UNH's stretch of three consecutive goals and capped the scoring with 29 seconds remaining.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Connerty has 50 goals and 68 assists for 118 career points in 50 games. The 68 assists ranks No. 5 on UNH's all-time leaderboard.
Connerty, Keys and Pavuk all extended their goals streaks to five games.
Boland matched her career highs in goals (two), assists (one) and points (three).
Thomas has recorded double-digit saves in 7 of 8 games.
Paige Kenny (Kensington, Md.) led the Wildcats with two ground balls.
Erin Fagan (Clarksburg, Md.) had a team-high four draw controls.

GAME NOTEBOOK

UMass Lowell finished with the edge in shots, shots on goals, draw controls and ground balls.
UNH was successful on 15 of 18 clear attempts; the River Hawks were 17-for-20.
The 'Cats committed 17 turnovers in comparison to 16 for UML.
UNH scored on 1 of 5 free-position shots and the River Hawks were 0-for-3.

SERIES NOTEBOOK