AMHERST, Mass. — Senior guard Jaini Edmonds (Worcester, Mass.) and graduate forward Anabel Latorre Ciria (Zaragoza, Spain) led the way offensively and defensively, but the UMass Lowell women's basketball team (2–2) fell, 85–45, to Massachusetts (4–0) on Tuesday night at the Mullins Center.
"We were outplayed and outworked in all aspects of the game tonight," said head coach Jon Plefka. "To have a massive let down like this after our win Saturday is extremely disappointing. Thankfully we have another opportunity on the road again this weekend to get back on track."
Edmonds finished with a team-high 11 points, adding four rebounds and a steal across 25 minutes. Latorre Ciria anchored the interior with a team-best seven rebounds while adding seven points. Senior guard Sabrina Larsson (Uppsala, Sweden) added six points, including one of the River Hawks' five made three-pointers.
UMass Lowell shot 30.6 percent from the field and assisted on 10 of its 15 made baskets.
The opening frame saw UMass Lowell generate early touches for its backcourt, with Larsson and junior guard Paris Gilmore (Youngstown, Ohio) each scoring in the first 10 minutes. Edmonds helped keep the River Hawks steady with a pair of drives and late-quarter finishes, but Massachusetts carried a 34–15 lead after shooting 77.8 percent in the period.
Edmonds and junior guard Maddie Rice (Charlottesville, Va.) each connected in the second quarter, but Massachusetts entered halftime ahead, 57–23.
The River Hawks found rhythm in the third, where freshman guard Tyanna Medina (Lawrence, Mass.) drilled a three from the wing before Rice and Edmonds followed with makes from deep. The stretch trimmed the margin to 65-34 as the River Hawks out-shot UMass from beyond the arc in the period.
Senior guard Sophie Baydanov (Vienna, Austria) opened the fourth with a three, while Latorre Ciria and sophomore forward Adna Halilbasic (Recklinghausen, Germany) each added late defensive stops. Despite continued energy through the final horn, Massachusetts closed out the 85–45 result on its home floor.
UMass Lowell continues its season-opening road swing later this week on Saturday at Boston University. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
