DURHAM, N.H. – The UMass Lowell women's basketball team (3-18, 3-6 AE) fell to the New Hampshire Wildcats (9-13, 3-6 AE) 66-52 on Saturday afternoon at Lundholm Gymnasium.
 
Graduate student Mili Carrera (Lima, Peru) led the team with 15 points and added two assists and two steals. Redshirt junior Sydney Watkins (Indianapolis, IN) scored 12 points and had a team-high four steals. Freshman Abbey Lindsey (Staten Island, N.Y.) tallied 11 points with three assists, three rebounds and two steals.
 
Both sides got off to a slow start from the field, shooting a combined 0-6 in the early stages. New Hampshire jumped in front with a triple just under three minutes into the game. Mili Carrera's three ended a 5-0 run for the Wildcats and get the River Hawks on the board.
 
Out of the first media timeout, New Hampshire put together a 5-0 run to extend the lead to seven. Abbey Lindsey's layup broke the scoreless drought, but the River Hawks struggled to find an offensive rhythm. Sydney Watkins' layup cut into the deficit, but the Wildcats led 12-7 after one.
 
Senior Leilani Rodriguez (Worcester, Mass.) dished out a beautiful assist as Maddie Rice's layup fell on the first possession of the second quarter. The Wildcats answered and stretched their lead to eleven at the second media break. New Hampshire was in control of the game and held a 31-14 edge at the halftime break.
 
Freshman Maddie Rice (Charlottesville, Va.) and Abbey Lindsey scored early baskets for the River Hawks, forcing New Hampshire into a timeout with just over two minutes gone in the third. UMass Lowell's defensive pressure ramped up in the third, forcing New Hampshire into tough shots and turnovers. The Wildcats responded and led by 16 points at the media.
 
Abbey Lindsey, Mili Carrera and freshman Gabby Ross (Lakehurst, N.J.) knocked down three straight threes late in the third to cut into the New Hampshire lead, but the Wildcats' offense continued to make shots and keep the River Hawks at a distance with the hosts in front by 18 after three.
 
The Wildcats continued to shoot well from the field in the final frame, shooting 3-5 to start the quarter. UMass Lowell fought to get back into the game, but the New Hampshire lead was too much in the fourth quarter. The River Hawks shot 34% while the Wildcats shot 58% from the field. New Hampshire held a 33-21 edge in rebounds.
 
Next up, UMass Lowell returns home to take on the UMBC Retrievers on February 8 at Costello.