With 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter of the America East semifinals, UMass Lowell had the attention of the lacrosse universe.
What happened in those next 10 minutes sent the River Hawks home, their season finished. But the previous 50 minutes is what could help propel the fledgling Division 1 program into uncharted territory.
Heading into their fifth season of existence, the River Hawks just watched their first big senior class graduate. The heart of the program, built primarily of Canadian indoor lacrosse players, set in motion the rise of the program. After playing above .500 in the regular season for the first time in 2018, the River Hawks have a taste of success.
That’s hardly a surprise to Ed Stephenson. After all, he’s been preparing for the program to soar.