LOWELL, Mass. – During the sixth annual Health & Fitness Field Trip Day, four different River Hawks recorded double-digit efforts to help take down the Maine Black Bears, 66-57, for the first time in school history, in front of 3,133 local elementary school students on Wednesday afternoon.
 
"It's nice to have the team rewarded with some solid victories," stated head coach Tom Garrick. "I think it has mainly come down to coachability and the team is listening to what we are asking of them and they are putting themselves in positions to be successful."
 
As a team, the River Hawks shot a season-best 43 percent for the game. Forwards, Brianne Stiers (Denver. Colo.) and Denise Solis (Windsor, Conn.) paced the River Hawk offense, posting 12 points each, while sophomore Kharis Idom (Orlando, Fla.) and freshman Jaliena Sanchez (Springfield, Mass.) added 11 points apiece.
 
Defense controlled the early minutes of the contest before Stiers tallied back-to-back buckets to open the scoring. However, Maine answered with an 11-2 run, including a trio of triples to pull ahead, 11-6, with 3:28 remaining in the first quarter.
 
The Black Bears maintained at least a one-possession margin throughout the opening minutes of the second, until freshman Shamyjha Price (Pittsburgh, Pa.) scored five straight points to spark a 9-2 run, giving the River Hawks a 22-21 advantage at 6:48 in the second.
 
Topping off the first half, the River Hawks ran out on an 10-0 drive with two layups from Stiers and made free throw opportunities from Sanchez to head into the second half with a 32-27 advantage.
 
With the visitors going on the attack in the early minutes of the third, the River Hawks responded with a 5-0 spurt of their own to build their largest lead of the game, 41-29.
 
On a 4-0 run to open the fourth, including a layup from Maeve Carroll and a free throw opportunity from Anne Simon, the Black Bears cut the deficit to one point, 50-49, with just under five minutes on the clock.
 
"We're continuing to work on our finishing ability," commented Garrick. "I think we get fatigued both mentally and physically, but what I really am proud of is our ability and resiliency to bounce back."
 
A Sanchez jumper with just over a minute to go was all the home team needed, sparking their final 6-0 run of the night and pulling away, 66-57.
 
Up next the River Hawks will continue action in Lowell, hosting UAlbany on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Tsongas Center, before welcoming Vermont for an 11 a.m. tip-off at Costello on Saturday morning.