Box Score (PDF)

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Despite three scorers in double-digits, the UMass Lowell (3-10, 0-1) women's basketball team fell in its America East opener, 72-59, to the Hartford Hawks (5-9, 1-0) on Wednesday evening.

"Tonight was a tough road game, and I think Hartford did a really good job of coming out ready to play on their home court," said Head Caoch Jenerrie Harris. "Obviously we would have loved to step away with a win but we did a good job taking away offensive options, but Hartford had other players step up to make huge plays. At the end of the day, we didn't have enough of our role players make plays the way that Hartford's were."

Following back-to-back three-pointers by Asia Mitchell-Owens (Roxbury, Mass.) and Lindsey Doucette (Hopkinton, Mass.) the River Hawks took their first lead of the contest at 10-9 with 37 seconds left in the first half. Deanna Mayza sent the Hawks into the second with a 11-10 lead with a buzzer-beating jumper.

 
Trailing 18-17 with 6:57 left in the second quarter, Hartford went on a 12-5 run to open up a 30-20 lead in the final 3:20 of the first half. Mallory Shickora and Kelly Douglass sparked the run with consecutive makes from beyond the arc.
 
Doucette capped off her 11 point first half with a jumper to cut the deficit to 30-24 with 1:56 on the clock, and Kayla Gibbs (Teaneck, N.J.) scored the last basket of the first half with 61 seconds remaining as the Hawks went into the intermission with a 32-26 advantage.
 
The River Hawks shot at a 48 percent clip (12-15) in the opening 20 minutes, but the Hawks hit four long balls compared to UMass Lowell's two.
 
Nicole Hayner (Bedford, N.H.) scored four points in the opening minutes of the second half to creep the River Hawks back within 34-32, but the Hawks responded with a pair of threes to open a nine point, 41-32 lead.
 
After the visitors cut the deficit to 43-37, Hartford went on a 6-2 run over the final 94 seconds of the third quarter to take a 49-39 lead into the final period. UMass Lowell cut the deficit to single-digits seven times, but the Hawks were able to fend off each attack.
 
Doucette led the way with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Hayner added 15 and Mitchell-Owens chipped in 14. Melissa Frase (Tamworth, N.H.) dished out seven assists, one shy of tying her career-high.
 
The Hawks' Mallory Shickora led her team with 17 points as well, and was supported by Darby Lee's 16 and Deanna Mayza' 10 points. Mayza completed a double-double with 12 assists.
 
The River Hawks host Stony Brook on January 9 at 2 p.m. for their conference home opener during Frozen Day.