NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Senior Day isn’t until Saturday but the festivities kicked off a little early. Seniors accounted for all three goals and three of the four assists as Yale cruised to a 3-1 victory over UMass Lowell at Reese Stadium.

Captain Meredith Speck led the way with two goals, while Melissa Gavin added a goal and an assist. Frannie Coxe and Annie Hull also tallied assists. The only non-senior to get in on the scoring act was freshman Sarah Oyadomari, who also had an assist.

Yale was very efficient. The three goals came on only seven shots.

“I’ll certainly take that shooting percentage,” said Yale head coach Rudy Meredith.

It was the first time the Bulldogs had scored multiple goals in a game since a 2-1 victory over Hofstra on Sept. 19, a stretch of eight games.

“It was nice to get a couple of goals,” Meredith said.

Despite being outshot 10-7, the Bulldogs limited UMass Lowell to very few quality scoring chances. And when the River Hawks did threaten, goalkeeper Rachel Ames was there. She finished with four saves to earn the victory.

Twenty-six different players saw action for Yale (7-4-3).

Speck opened the scoring just 6:14 in when she knocked in a cross from Gavin.

Speck also scored the second goal. It came early in the second half when she headed in a Coxe cross. Hull had made a feed to Coxe to get the play started.

“It was nice to see Meredith get a couple of goals,” Meredith said. “She is such a hard worker that I’m glad she was rewarded.”

UMass Lowell (5-12-1) got right back in the game when Sarah Raye scored just 29 seconds after Speck.

Gavin, though, sealed the victory when she scored on a blast from 25 yards out at 62:58.

It was the third straight game that Gavin has scored a goal.

The Bulldogs are back at Reese on Saturday when they host Columbia. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m.

“We want to finish strong,” Meredith said. “Hopefully [UMass Lowell win] will give us a confidence boost.”

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