Dec. 3, 2008

MANCHESTER, NH - Junior F Jen Valente (Prospect, CT) scored 17 points on 8 of 11 field goal shooting as UMass Lowell defeated Saint Anselm, 67-64, Wednesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball game at the Stoutenborough Gymnasium.

With the win, the River Hawks improved to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the NE-10 entering next Tuesday's home clash against Assumption (5:30). Saint Anselm slipped to 0-7 overall and 0-5 in the Conference.

Senior C Revital Carmon (Bat-Yam, Israel) posted her fourth double-double of the year with 13 points and 14 rebounds while freshman G Meghan Kirwan (Melrose, MA) added a season-high 11 points, three rebounds and three steals, shooting 5 for 6 from the floor in 14 minutes.

"I thought we toughed it out, but we didn't play particularly well," said UML Head Coach Kathy O'Neil. "I was very happy with Megan Kirwan. She gave us a great lift off the bench."

Junior F Courtney May led the Hawks with 17 points and nine rebounds while freshman F Megan Howard added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Both May and Howard converted 7 of 10 field goals.

Sophomore G Jennifer Gureckis chipped in 13 points and five assists, hitting 3 of 6 attempts from 3-point range.

Turnovers were nearly even - Saint Anselm with 18 and UMass Lowell 16 - but it was the River Hawks who capitalized, outscoring the Hawks 17-5 off turnovers.

UMass Lowell also outscored Saint Anselm 15-0 on the fast break, all in the first half.

The River Hawks led 47-44 with 11:46 left to play and used an 8-2 spurt to establish a 55-46 cushion with 7:34 left. Kirwan led the run with a layup and a 3-point shot.

Saint Anselm, however, countered with a 9-2 spurt to cut the deficit to 57-55 with 3:09 left to play behind five points from Gureckis. The Hawks sent UMass Lowell to the free throw line four times in the final 2:43, but Carmon and junior G Rahshala Valentine (Cincinnati, OH) each converted 3 of 4 attempts to seal the win.

The River Hawks raced to a 36-29 lead at the half, scoring 15 points in transition led by Valente (10 points) and Kirwan, who added six points, all from steals and breakaway layups. Berry had eight points in the half.