Lowell, MA – The visiting UMBC women's lacrosse team built a seven-goal lead late in the first half and held on for a 14-12 victory against the UMass Lowell River Hawks, Saturday afternoon at Cushing Field. UMBC improves to 7-3 (2-1 America East) while the River Hawks drop to 8-3 (0-2 AE).
 
Junior attackers Kolby Weedon (8 draw controls) and Grace Bruce struck for four goals apiece while classmate Katana Nelson added a hat-trick to pace the attack. Senior Mary Ellis distributed a game-high four assists and sophomore midfielder Lizzie Bateman contributed a goal and an assist. Senior netminder Isabella Fontana made 11 saves, including several outstanding stops.
 
How It Happened

• The Retrievers shocked the hosts with four goals in the first 4:32 of the opening frame to grab a 4-0 advantage. Nelson opened the scoring with an unassisted tally just a minute in and then Bruce followed just forty seconds later off an assist from Ellis. Ellis then found Weedon at 12:29 and Bruce capped the run with a woman up marker at the 10:28 mark.
• UMass Lowell stopped the bleeding with the final tally of the first quarter as Jade Catlin (3 goals) scored an unassisted goal with 5:06 left.
• The hosts made it two straight after Chloe Bowers found the back of the net with 12:03 left in the second quarter.
• The Retrievers, however, went on a 6-1 run to widen their lead to 10-3 with 1:44 remaining in the half. Bruce ignited the stretch with an unassisted marker at the 9:09 mark but the hosts trimmed the deficit to 5-3 after another goal by Catlin.
• UMBC would then score five straight times to complete the burst. Ellis located Bateman for the first tally with 5:18 left and then Weedon capitalized on a free position chance for her second of the game. Junior attacker Alexis Abe and Nelson followed up with two more free position goals and Weedon made it 10-3 off an assist by Ellis at the 1:44 mark.
• The hosts scored with twenty-five ticks left to cut the deficit to 10-4 at the break.
• The Dawgs extended their lead to 11-4 as Ellis and Weedon teamed up again at the 13:33 mark.
• UMass Lowell responded with four consecutive goals to inch closer, 11-8, with 1:15 remaining in the third quarter.
• Junior midfielder Ria Lagdameo closed out the third quarter with a free position goal to end the run and give UMBC a 12-8 advantage just before the end of the frame.
• The River Hawks did not go down easily as they scored three straight times to cut the deficit to 12-11 with 6:17 left in the contest.
• The Retrievers answered back as Bruce and Nelson converted free position goals to create some breathing room.
• Bowers scored her third goal of the game to make it 14-12 with 2:29 left but could not get any closer.

 
Inside The Numbers

• UMBC won 21-of-30 draw controls in the contest.
• The Retrievers were 7-for-9 on free position chances.
• Sophomore Ella Killian recorded a career-best six draws for the second straight week.
• Bruce now has a team-high 41 goals on the season. She has recorded hat-tricks in four straight contest and has eight on the year.
• Weedon recorded her sixth hat-trick of the season.
• Fontana tied her season-high in saves as she also stopped 11 shots at Delaware.

 
Up Next
UMBC will host UAlbany (4-7, 3-0 America East) next Saturday at 12:00 p.m.