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CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell (3-8) women's basketball team hung tough with the Boston College Eagle (9-1), but ultimately fell 66-55, Sunday afternoon.

"It was a really hard-fought game," said Head Coach Jenerrie Harris. "We had three people in double figures compared to their two and the girls did a great job in the first half to go into the lockerroom with a four-point lead. Obviously, the third quarter did us in, but I really liked the way we fought in the fourth quarter, we just needed to make those same plays in the third."

After the Eagles opened up a 7-0 lead in the opening minutes, Lindsey Doucette (Hopkinton, Mass.) and Asia Mitchell-Owens hit back-to-back three-pointers to climb the River Hawks within 7-6.

Mitchell-Owens scored seven points in the first quarter and Doucette hit her second three of the afternoon with 22 seconds remaining in the first, to give UMass Lowell a 16-14 lead heading into the second quarter.

Melissa Frase (Tamworth, N.H.) extended the lead to 18-14 early in the quarter with two free throws, and Nicole Hayner (Bedford, Mass.) capped off the 11-0 run with a three of her own to open a 21-14 advantage.

The Eagle responded with a 10-0 run of their own over 3:06, but Kayla Gibbs (Teaneck, N.J.) and Hayner regained the lead, 25-24, for the River Hawks with 3:57 left in the half. Katherine Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind.) converted a traditional three-point play to give the guests a 28-24 lead with 99 seconds remaining in the half.

UMass Lowell shot 40.7 percent (11-27), with four threes, to take a 30-26 lead into the intermission.

Boston College outscored the River Hawks 18-4 in the third to hold a double-digit lead, 44-34, into the final period. UMass Lowell cut the deficit to single digits at 61-53 with 1:00 minute to go, but could not get closer than seven down the stretch.

Doucette finished with 12 points and six rebounds, her seventh consecutive game with 10 or more points. Mitchell-Owens scored a game-high 13 points, and Hayner added 10 points off the bench. Gibbs and Frase led the way with three assists each.

The Eagles were led by Mariella Fasoula's 12 points and 10 from Kailey Edwards. Edwards also dished out a game-high four helpers.

The River Hawks will enjoy the holidays and return to action on December 30 (7 p.m.) at Massachusetts, the first ever meeting between the schools.