WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Behind four-of-four shooting from beyond the arc, Brianna Rudolph (Lynn, Mass.) matched her career high with 18 points, but the UMass Lowell women's basketball team fell at Hartford, 78-56, in Saturday's contest.
 
Rudolph has now reached 18 points three separate times in her career, including twice this season, but hit four threes for the first time. The River Hawks (3-18, 0-8) shot 50 percent in the second and fourth quarters. 
 
The Hawks (13-8, 5-3) were led by Janelle Harrison's 21 points, as four players reached double-figures.
 
After a quick start with a Paula Lopez (Leon, Spain) three-pointer and a runner by Rudolph the visitors held a 5-3 lead, but Hartford went on a 12-0 run over the next three minutes.
 
Rudolph scored the next five points to bring UMass Lowell within 15-10 in the last 20 seconds of the first, but a Hartford three right before the buzzer pushed the lead to 18-10 heading into the second quarter. The redshirt-junior had seven of the River Hawks' first 10 points.
 
Hartford continued to ride its momentum and built a 23-10 cushion early in the second, but the River Hawks scored six of the next nine points to trim it to 26-17. The Hawks closed the half on a 16-4 spurt, including a three-pointer right before the buzzer, to take a 42-21 lead into the break.
 
The River Hawks showed fight in the third, going on a 9-0 run, over a two-minute span. Katherine Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind.) led the charge with six of her eight points. Rudolph connected on a pair of shots to begin the fourth as the visitors scored eight of the first 10 points in the final period.
 
Rudolph got to 18 with her final triple of the afternoon with 31 seconds on the clock.
 
UMass Lowell closes out January with its fourth annual Health and Fitness Field Trip Day on the final day of the month. Maine comes to town for the traditional 11 a.m. tip.