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LOWELL, Mass. – Nicole Hayner (Bedford, N.H.) tied her career high with 23 points and Megan Hendrick (Alexandria, Va.) set a personal best with 19 points, as the UMass Lowell (2-9) women's basketball team held on to knock off the Colgate Raiders (3-7), 82-77, in overtime on Sunday afternoon.
 
Following a Mackenzie Carroll three-pointer the Raiders to push their lead to 66-59 with 3:55 left in regulation, the River Hawks chipped away and Hendrick connected on a three with 88 seconds on the clock to bring the River Hawks within 66-63. After collecting a key defensive rebound on the other end of the court, Hayner knotted the score at 66-66 with 18 clicks to force overtime.
 
In the extra period, Hayner and Hendrick combined for the first eight UMass Lowell points as they raced out to a 76-69 lead. The Raiders connected on a pair of late triples to trim the deficit to 78-75, but the River Hawks hit their free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
 
"For being our first overtime game of the season, I was really impressed with the team's ability to bounce back after Colgate taking momentum away at times," commented Head Coach Jenerrie Harris. "The fourth quarter gave us a little trouble and even though they only outscored us by one, every possession counts in a close game. I'm really excited for these young women and Colgate is a really tough team with players that just don't give up."
 
Kayla Gibbs (Teaneck, N.J.) recorded her third double-double of the season with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while extending her double-digit scoring streak to eight games. Tyshay Britten (Norristown, Pa.) came up two points of a double-double as she grabbed 11 boards.
 
Four Raiders were in double figures, led by Kateri Stone's 19 and Carroll's 16 points. Tori Pozsonyi added 13, while Katie Curtis chipped in a dozen.
 
Hayner scored five points in the first five minutes of the opening frame as the River Hawks jumped out to 12-9 buffer. Colgate only scored one field goal in the final 5:03 and added two free throws with 45 seconds left, as UMass Lowell took a 14-11 lead into the second quarter.
 
During the scoring drought, the River Hawks forced three turnovers and held the Raiders to only four field goal attempts. Chelsey Koran knotted up the score at 14-14 one the visitors first shot of the second quarter, ending the scoreless run of 5:20.
 
After Colgate hit another three to take a 19-16 lead, Hendrick responded with her first triple of the contest 20 seconds later. Trailing 21-19 with under five remaining in the half, the River Hawks went on a 5-0 run before Carroll connected on the Raiders' third three of the quarter to tie it up at 24-24 with 2:53 on the clock.
 
Katie Curtis brought the visitors within 31-30 at the half as her shot at the buzzer fell as she grabbed an offensive rebound and put up the shot as she was falling away from the hoop before she landed.
 
Hayner opened the second half with a triple to become the first River Hawk in double-digits, and Kayla Gibbs added a basket to send the River Hawks to their largest lead at 36-30. Colgate went a 13-5 to take a 43-41 lead with 6:45 on the clock in the third.
 
Gibbs scored five consecutive points in a span of 77 seconds to get UMass Lowell back even at 45-45, as the River Hawks entered the fourth quarter up 54-53.
 
UMass Lowell will play its last game before the holiday break on December 21 at Bryant, tip is scheduled for 4 p.m.