LOWELL, Mass. — Behind 15-point efforts from Paris Gilmore (Youngstown, Ohio) and graduate forward Anabel Latorre Ciria (Zaragoza, Spain), the UMass Lowell women's basketball team (1-0) opened the 2025-26 season with a 54-50 victory over Saint Anselm (0-1) on Monday afternoon at the Kennedy Family Athletic Complex.
"Overall, I'm pleased with getting the win and proud of how our group competed," commented head coach Jon Plefka. "It got a little tight at the end for sure, but those are things that we'll work on. Anabel had a phenomenal game, and to do that her first time playing in a couple of years is huge. Paris is a battler — our point guard, a leader — and I'm proud of how she played. We just need to correct some of the mistakes that we did have, also work on those things that we did do well."
Gilmore led all scorers with 15 points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists, while Latorre Ciria was a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor and added eight boards. Senior guard Sabrina Larsson (Uppsala, Sweden) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds and chipped in five points, and sophomore forward Klimentina Modeva (Ohrid, North Macedonia) added six points and seven rebounds.
As a team, the River Hawks out-rebounded the Hawks 49-27 and shot 39.6 percent from the field, including 76.9 percent at the line. UMass Lowell held Saint Anselm to just 16.1 percent shooting from three and forced 21 turnovers that led to 14 points.
The River Hawks set the tone early, shooting over 50 percent in the opening quarter to take a 15-12 lead. Gilmore fueled the offense with seven quick points, while Modeva provided an early interior presence. Latorre Ciria gave Lowell a lift off the bench in the second frame, scoring four straight to push the advantage to double digits before halftime, 30-20.
UMass Lowell built its largest lead of the day midway through the third at 35-22 before Saint Anselm rallied to make it a one-possession game in the final minute. Despite the late push, the River Hawks held firm defensively to secure the 54-50 win in their season opener.
The River Hawks now hit the road for a matchup at Boston College on Sunday, November 9. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m. in Chestnut Hill.
