Quinnipiac men’s lacrosse won its season opener for the first time since 2024, defeating the University of Massachusetts Lowell Riverhawks 15-12 in a back-and-forth contest Friday afternoon.
After a grueling non-conference slate of games to start the 2025 season resulted in the Bobcats failing to snag a win until March, the goal was simple: start the season right with a win.
In the opening quarter, that message seemed to be sticking. The Bobcats shot out to a 5-2 lead, scoring four times before the Riverhawks managed to record a single shot on goal. Last season’s top scorer, junior attacker Nate Watson, would pick up right where he left off last season, netting two early goals.
The offensive output early was promising for a team that had often struggled to put the ball in the back of the opposing net last season.
The No. 4 team in the MAAC preseason poll flexed its strength on the back end as well, with the defense keeping quality chances away from graduate student goaltender Mason Oak, and capitalizing on the Riverhawks’ eight turnovers in the opening frame.
But the Bobcat dominance wouldn’t last. Rather than adding to its lead in the second, the Bobcats traded goals with the home squad before UMass cut the lead to just one.
Then, like clockwork, the Bobcats hit back.
Freshman midfielder/attacker Elijiah Gill would put the ball behind junior goaltender Scott Kosakowski halfway through the quarter to start a 3-0 run for the Bobcats on the scoresheet, extending the Bobcats’ lead to four. Watson would cap off the scoring run with the first Quinnipiac hat trick of the season, and his fourth straight dating back to 2025.
However, the inability to use the quarter to put the Riverhawks comfortably out of reach would come to bite the Bobcats in the third. In the opening half, Quinnipiac’s keen stickwork to force turnovers and ground balls from the UMass side resulted in a turnover margin that heavily favored the Bobcats, and kept the offense afloat with ample chances at Kosakowski.
The third was a different story entirely. Although turnovers would remain plentiful, Quinnipiac was unable to put shots on net in the third. The Riverhawks used the opportunity to ramp up on offense, putting seven shots on frame.
Scoring on its first three attempts of the half to put the game within one, junior midfielder Ryan Cho would tie the game at nine and give the Riverhawks their first chance at taking the lead.
Head coach Mason Poli would take a timeout with just six minutes remaining in the quarter to try to stop the bleeding.
A faceoff win by freshman faceoff specialist Sean McCaffery on the restart would give the Bobcats possession on the offensive end. After cycling the ball through the zone, a snipe by a falling freshman attacker Aj Amandolare would give the Bobcats the narrow one-goal lead going into the final frame.
In the opening of the final quarter, it looked to be more of the same. Riverhawk sophomore attacker/midfielder Alex Lafreniere would tie the game again.
With 13 minutes remaining and the score tied at 10, it was no question who on the Bobcat side would need to step up.
Watson would put the team on his back in the final third, tying his single-game career-high in points with three points in the closing minutes of play. Two goals and an assist from the New Brunswick native would put the Riverhawks on ice.
Quinnipiac looks to win its first home game in 671 days on Friday, Feb. 13, against the University of Massachusetts Amherst Minutemen. Face-off is set for 2 p.m.
