ORONO, Maine – Sophomore Denise Solis (Windsor, Conn.) posted her second double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds to pace the UMass Lowell women's basketball team (9-8, 8-6 AE) in a 53-51 heartbreaker at Maine (14-1, 11-1 AE) on Sunday afternoon.

"I was extremely proud of the team today," commented head coach Tom Garrick. "After yesterday's outing it would have been easy to pack it in for the weekend, but we are better than that and we showed it today."

Solis's 17 points marked a new season-high for the forward. Sophomore Jaliena Sanchez (Springfield, Mass.) and junior Kharis Idom (Orlando, Fla.) added eight points apiece, with Sanchez securing a team-best three steals. Freshman Jaini Edmonds (Worcester, Mass.) chipped in eight points and a personal-best five rebounds, as well.
 
The Black Bears got off to a quick start, remaining hot from yesterday with the first five points of the contest. Although Lowell would quickly put on the pressure, holding Maine scoreless over the next four minutes.
 
A block by newcomer Sydney Coombs (Newmarket, N.H.) followed by back-to-back buckets from Solis and Sanchez would spark the visitors within one, 7-6, in the final minute. However, Maine would counter with points of their own to extend their lead, 12-6, by the end of the first quarter.
 
UMass Lowell continued to charge in the second with a stretch of eight points from Solis that was capped off by a jumper from beyond the arc from Edmonds, bringing the score to 24-17 with 4:49 to go. The teams traded baskets over the remaining minutes until back-to-back jumpers from Sanchez and Edmonds trimmed the deficit by four, 30-26, heading into the break.
 
The River Hawks took control of the momentum coming out of the break with five-straight points from Idom that put the RIver Hawks within two possessions, 35-31, with 6:45 left. The run was short-lived, though, as Maine used a 6-0 spurt to pull ahead by double-digits, 43-33, at the end of the third.
 
Facing the ten-point deficit to begin the fourth, the River Hawks continued their momentum using an 11-0 run, with key shots coming senior Linda Svenne (Riga, Latvia) and Sanchez to take their first lead of the game, 48-46, with 3:33 left to play. However, Maine would counter on two separate occasions with the deciding points coming at the foul line in the final seconds, sealing the 53-51 outcome.

"There's a way to win and there's a way to lose, we may have lost today, but we lost fighting to win." said Garrick. 
 
Up next, the River Hawks will return home for a series matchup with New Hampshire, taking on the Wildcats Feb. 13 and 14. Both games are set for 1 p.m.