Nov. 14, 2010

Box Score

Senior G Robyn Burton scored 14 points as Bloomfield College defeated UMass Lowell Sunday in the second round of the American International College Women’s Basketball Tipoff Classic at the Butova Gymnasium.

With the loss, UMass Lowell slipped to 0-2 entering its Northeast-10 Conference opener Wednesday at 5:30 against Saint Michael’s College. Bloomfield improved to 1-1.

In the earlier matchup, AIC defeated C.W. Post, 63-48.

Sophomore G Brianna Calver (Shelby, Ohio) led UMass Lowell with a career-high 17 points along with four rebounds and three assists while sophomore G Erika Sjoberg (Stockholm, Sweden) added 10 points and three rebounds.

Senior C Tiffany McDaniel chipped in 10 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks for the Deacons.

Turnovers proved costly for both teams, with UMass Lowell committing 30 to Bloomfield’s 23, leading to Bloomfield outscoring the River Hawks 26-11 off turnovers (20-1 in the second half).

“That hurt us,” said UML Head Coach Kathy O’Neil. “We missed a lot of easy shots, shots that we have to make. I think we just need to mature. In both games at the end, we missed some easy shots that would’ve either won it or put us up.”

With the score knotted at 53-53 with 2:37 left to play, Bloomfield scored five straight points – a conventional 3-point play and a jumper by Burton – to grab a 58-54 lead with 44 seconds left.

After a pair of free throws by sophomore C Briana Szidat (Pelham, N.H.) with 26 seconds remaining, the Deacons meshed four of six free throws for a 62-56 lead with 15 seconds left.

Freshman G Nyachuol Biliew (Portland, Maine) hit a pair of free throws with eight seconds remaining, but the River Hawks could muster no closer.

UMass Lowell led 27-25 at the break.