GREENVILLE, S.C. – Rachel Ward's free position goal as time expired lifted the Furman women's lacrosse team past the UMass Lowell River Hawks, 21-20, in non-conference action, Thursday evening at Paladin Stadium.

Furman snapped its three-game losing streak and improved to 3-4 on the season. With the loss, UMass Lowell dropped to 3-5 overall.

Allie Kandel's career high seven goals paced the Paladin offense while adding two ground balls and one draw. Lily Toole poured in six points on four goals and two assists, and Reynolds Hester contributed five points on four goals and one assist. Abby Shearer won a career high five draws. Zoe Milmoe and Charlotte Kent both picked up three ground balls while Lilly Dyer and Rachel Sbei caused two turnovers. In goal, Sam Melville earned the win after finishing with four saves and one ground ball.

Chloe Bowers scored a team best seven goals for the River Hawks and Macy Schultz also compiled seven points on six assists and one goal. Goalies Lauren Lorentzen and Darranise Hunter combined for three saves.

The second half saw the scored tied a total of eight times including four in the fourth quarter. UMass Lowell evened the score at 19-19 when Hester put Furman back in front, 20-19, with 1:51 remaining in the contest. The River Hawks would tie the score with 55 seconds left when Ward was fouled just outside the 8-meter arc and awarded a free position shot just before time expired. The junior from Prior Lake, Minn., buried the game-winning goal, her first of the season, past Hunter as the clock hit zero.

The Paladins led by a goal twice in the opening 12:08 of the contest. Hester gave Furman a 5-4 lead at the 5:39 mark and Kandel followed almost three minutes later when her first goal of the contest made the score 6-5.

UMass Lowell answered by going on a 4-1 run over nearly a 10-minute stretch to go ahead 10-7 with 8:33 to go in the second quarter. The Paladins cut their deficit down to two goals twice before going into halftime trailing 12-9 after the River Hawks scored with 1:48 left before intermission.

Kandel, a junior from Wilbraham, Mass., scored four of her team high seven goals in the second half. Her seven goals are tied for fourth-most in a game in program history and finished just two away from tying the single-game record of nine, achieved by former teammate Anna Roser against Kennesaw State on February 18, 2024.

Furman held a 15-11 advantage in ground balls and concluded the game with 31 shots, 19 draws, and 10 caused turnovers.

The Paladins continue their three-game homestand on Sunday afternoon hosting Quinnipiac at 12 p.m. Fans can follow the action on www.furmanpaladins.com via live stats. Updates will be posted on the Furman women's lacrosse Twitter page (@FUWlax). Admission is free.

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