The sun was shining on the Bearcats Sports Complex on Sunday as the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team roped in its first conference victory of the season against UMass Lowell.

The Bearcats (5-5, 1-1 America East) started off strong by pulling in the first draw control of the game. Netting her 13th goal of the season on BU’s first possession, senior midfielder Renee Kiviat got the ball rolling quickly with the first of her six scores in the first 60 seconds.

“A new record for me,” Kiviat said. “Six goals. I couldn’t have done it without the team, though. All assisted goals, a team effort.”

The first 12 minutes of the contest promised a tight game as each team traded goals until Binghamton fired up a scoring streak ending the first half with a four-point advantage, 8-4. The Bearcats played smart, slowing down play and keeping the ball moving while the River Hawks (0-11, 0-2 AE) attempted to ward them off.

But the Bearcats were relentless. Freshman midfielder Tiffany Ryan fired a shot to the net in the first half and junior attack Sophia Racciatti contributed to the advantage with her 16th goal of the season, following a draw control by sophomore attack Samantha Karner.

“We definitely settled the ball and took our time waiting for the right shots and placements,” Kiviat said of BU’s offensive success. “We really valued the ball this game and it showed.”

A key aspect of the Bearcats’ win was the sheer number of draw controls brought in by the midfield, winning the category, 17-6. Those possessions gave Binghamton a leg up offensively, putting the game in its control.

“I thought draw controls were huge for us today,” Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen said. “The combined effort of Sam Karner and Tiffany Ryan out there on the draw controls, we were able to find ourselves leading that category and really possessing the ball more than anything.”

The Bearcats turned the heat up in the second half, scoring six more goals to bring them to a nine-point lead. They were equally effective on the other end of the field, holding UMass Lowell to only two goals the entire half. However, the River Hawks fought back with two consecutive goals of their own from freshman midfielders Taylor Sokol and Micaela Sanborn, making the score, 14-6.

Contributing to the ongoing battle, the River Hawk defense kept the Bearcats hard at work, forcing them to keep the ball moving and to stay on their toes. Even so, Binghamton managed to complete quick transition finishes, bringing them back into Lowell’s defensive territory.

Given their ability to adapt, the Bearcats completed their 15-6 blowout of a win with a large advantage in draw controls and time of possession. With a fierce conference foe in No. 9 Stony Brook next up on the schedule, Binghamton will hope to sustain that momentum.

“We’re not overlooking anybody,” Allen said. “We all know what’s ahead of us on Wednesday, one of the top teams in the nation we’ll be playing. Perception doesn’t win games — it’s all about substance. I know our girls are planning to step onto the field with a little bit of momentum from the game today and a well-executed game plan.”

Play on Wednesday is set for 7 p.m. at Kenneth P.Lavalle in Stony Brook, New York.