MERION STATION, Pa. – Two goals in each half led the 11th-ranked Saint Joseph's field hockey team to a 4-0 win over UMass Lowell at Ellen Ryan Field on Sunday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Neither side found the scoreboard in the first quarter, but midway through the second, Celeste Smits picked up a loose ball in the circle and fired past UML's Christina Calandra for a 1-0 Hawk lead.

• Saint Joseph's (2-0) doubled its advantage two minutes later as Erika Culp turned a rebound off a blocked shot into her first collegiate goal.

• Late in the third, Lily Santi netted her second goal in as many games, inserting the ball on a corner and tucking a return pass from Manu Ghigliotti into the cage.

• UMass Lowell (1-1) had a golden chance in the fourth, but Marith Bijkerk made two outstanding saves on the doorstep to preserve the clean sheet.  Hailey Bitters would then put the game away for the Hawks; Alison Buffington dribbled past the River Hawk defense and into the circle before leaving a pass for Bitters, who slid it home for a 4-0 margin.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Saint Joseph's enjoyed a 15-5 advantage in shots and earned nine corners while just conceding two.

• Bijkerk made two saves in 15 minutes of relief work; Janelle Ward got the start and parried one shot away through three quarters.  Calandra made four saves for UMass Lowell.

• The Hawks are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2019.

UP NEXT
SJU continues its homestand with a game against #6 Virginia on Friday.  Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.