SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The UMass Lowell women's basketball team (1-7) clawed their way out of 18-point deficit to secure their first win of the season against the Bryant Bulldogs (1-6) on Monday night at the Chace Athletic Center.
 
"I was really proud of our kids," stated head coach Tom Garrick. "To fight back after the season started the way it has, shows a lot of character in our squad."
 
Three different River Hawks found themselves in double digits with sophomore Kharis Idom (Orlando, Fla.) leading the squad with 15 points and six rebounds. Senior guard Ren'Cia Rolling (Lansing, Ill.) chipped in 14, and freshman forward Denise Solis (Windsor, Conn.) added 13 points and six rebounds.
 
After winning the opening tip, the Bulldogs set the pace for the first quarter going on a 9-0 run, with four different players securing points for the home team. Rolling saw the Bulldogs scoring streak end when she put up the first jumper for the River Hawks five minutes into the matchup.
 
A 5-0 solo run by Idom saw the visitors within four points, but the Bulldogs answered with shots from outside the arc by Alana Perkins to go on another 9-0 run to end the first quarter, 20-7.
 
Bryant continued their scoring streak in the second quarter by going on a 16-2 run, with the only points coming off a layup from freshman Shamyjha Price (Pittsburgh, Pa.) in the first five minutes.
 
The tables started to turn at the end of the second quarter when Rolling put up her third field goal of the night, sparking a 15-0 run for the visitors with shots by Solis and Kaylen Banwareesingh (Bronx, N.Y.) to cut the deficit, 27-24.
 
The River Hawks carried their late half heroics into the third period when Rolling got a shot off in the paint to give the squad their first lead of the game 34-33.
 
Running with their lead, the River Hawks held the home team to a scoreless fourth quarter by going on a 17-0 run with two trips to the line by freshman Jaliena Sanchez (Springfield, Mass.) and jumpers by Idom to finish out the contest 55-35.
 
"I think we had a good lineup in the second half with the team rotating and focusing on what their jobs were," commented Garrick. "It gave us an early and easy offense where were able to put up some numbers that we previously weren't able to."
 
Up next, the River Hawks will continue their three-game week on Thursday when they head to Central Connecticut State to face off against the Blue Devils at 7 p.m., before returning home to the Tsongas Center on Sunday for a 1 p.m. tip-off against LIU.

"If I were in their shoes, I would be pretty excited about the prospect of the next game to build off of what we did today." Remarked Garrick.