KINGSTON, R.I. – Led by freshman Paula Lopez's (Leon, Spain) 19 points in her collegiate debut, the UMass Lowell women's basketball team fell to the Rhode Island Rams, 81-64, in both team's season opener.
 
Lopez shot 58.3 percent from the field, including three-of-four from beyond the arc to pace the River Hawks (0-1). Senior Kayla Gibbs (Teaneck, N.J.) chipped in 17 points as well.
 
In the first quarter, UMass Lowell was lead by freshman Jennifer Louro (Belmar, N.J.) and junior Cierra Stanciel (Chicago, Ill.), who each scored six points as the Rams (1-0) held onto a 19-16 advantage after 10 minutes of play.
 
Led by six points from Lopez, UMass Lowell went on a 9-6 run over the first 5:25 of the second quarter to take a 25-24 lead.
 
From that point Rhode Island took control of the contest with a 15-4 run, before Katie McKie (Austin, Texas) brought the River Hawks within 39-32 to end the half.
 
The hosts opened the second half on a 19-6 spurt to open up a 58-38 advantage with 3:45 left in the third.
 
Lopez scored 12 in the first half and reached the 15-point plateau with 75 seconds left in the third The freshman wrapped up her debut with her third three as time ran down in the fourth. Gibbs added 12 of her points in the final two frames and recorded five steals to begin her senior season.
 
Rhode Island had four scorers in double-figures, as Elemy Colome (19 pts), Abby Streeter (17 pts), Nicole Jorgensen (15 pts) and Marta Vargas (12 pts) paced the offense. Colome added nine assists and five steals.
 
UMass Lowell opens up its home schedule with a 4 p.m. contest at the Tsongas Center on November 12 against Holy Cross.