NASHUA, N.H. (1/30/16) – The Lasell College women's basketball team notched a 78-66 road victory over Rivier University on Saturday afternoon at Muldoon gymnasium. The win helped Lasell improve to 11-9 overall and 4-3 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action, while the Raiders slip to 8-10 on the season and 3-2 in league games.
STAT LEADERS FOR LASELL
Sophomore Brianna Hoffman (Milford, N.H.) paced Lasell with 16 points and five rebounds, including a 5-9 effort from three point territory and senior Katie Stopera (Hollis, N.H.) added 15 points, six rebounds and six assists. Sophomore guard Morgan Church (New London, N.H.) chipped in with 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists and freshmen Liz Bougie (Sanford, Maine) tallied 10 points and seven rebounds for the Lasers.
STAT LEADERS FOR RIVIER
Junior Caitlyn Perry (Nashua, N.H.) scored a game-high 23 points to lead the way for Rivier, with Savanna Butterfield (Londonderry, N.H.) netting 17 points to go with five rebounds. Caitlin Bulger (Quincy, Mass.) added 12 points and Kaylee Kacavas (Dracut, Mass.) added 10 points and eight rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Lasell opened the game on a 5-0 run, but Rivier answered right back with eight unanswered points and the two teams traded baskets for the rest of the opening period with the hosts leading 14-13 through 10 minutes of action. The Lasers were trailing 20-19 with 3:45 remaining in the half, before closing the half on a 12-4 spurt behind a pair of three pointers by Stopera and Hoffman as well as a pair of baskets by Bougie, to take a 31-24 lead into intermission.
A trifecta by Deanna Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) on the Lasers opening possession of the half put Lasell in front 34-24, but the Raiders stormed back behind a 10-0 run highlighted by five points from Perry to tie the score at 34-34. Rivier opened a four point advantage at 43-39 on a three point play by Perry, before Lasell responded with a trio of three pointers, one from Hoffman and two from Stopera to regain the lead 48-43.
Rivier pulled within a pair at 58-56 with 8:21 left in the fourth quarter, but were outscored 13-2 over the next five minutes, with Lasell taking a 71-58 lead behind a layup by Bougie, and the Lasers closed out the game from the charity stripe for a 78-66 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The Lasers shot 43.3% from the field, 44.4% from long range, and 70.0% from the charity stripe. Holding a slim 41-40 advantage on the boards, the Lasers grabbed 18 points from second chance opportunities and poured in 32 points from the bench.
WHAT'S NEXT
Rivier will return to action on February 2nd, when they travel to Saint Joseph's College of Maine, while Lasell with visit Mount Ida for a 6:00 p.m. GNAC tilt against the Mustangs.