Women's Hoops Falls Short to Raiders 60-57

NEWTON, Mass. (2/17/15) – A layup from sophomore forward Rebecca DeBaldo (Pelham, N.H.) with 1:55 remaining in the contest was the deciding factor as the Lasell College women's basketball team fell to Rivier University 60-57 on Tuesday evening in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action inside the Lasell College Athletic Center Gymnasium.

Junior guard Katie Stopera (Hollis, N.H.) led the Lasers with a game-high 21 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three blocks in the effort. Freshman forward Breanna Cashman (Norwich, N.Y.) netted a career-high 18 points on 4-for-9 shooting from behind the arc. Cashman also pulled down six boards this evening, while junior guard Deanna Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) tallied 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the field and dished out a pair of assists as well. All nine Lasers who played this evening recorded at least one rebound to total for 36 team board in the game.

All five starters for Rivier scored eight or more points including a team-high 20 points from senior guard Deanna Purcell (Hudson, N.H.). Purcell also grabbed six rebounds and recorded two steals in the victory, while sophomores Caitlyn Perry (Nashua, N.H.) and DeBaldo each chipped in with 10 points apiece. Rounding out the starters for the Raiders sophomore Savanna Butterfield (Londonderry, N.H.) and classmate guard Caitlin Bulger (Quincy, Mass.) each tallied eight points in the victory.

Lasell quickly jumped out to an early 5-4 lead after Stopera knocked down a three pointer 5:32 into the contest, but Rivier responded with a 12-0 run of its own to pull ahead 16-5 midway through the opening frame. The spurt from the visitors featured seven points on a pair of layups and a three from Purcell.

The Lasers ended the stint from the visitors when Barrett drove into the paint for a layup with 9:52 left on the clock in the opening stanza. Lasell recorded three more points from Barrett and a layup from Stopera to pull within four points (16-12). Lasell closed Rivier's advantage to a single point (24-23) after Barrett sank her third three-pointer of the opening 20 minutes, as time wound down in the first half.

Lasell traded baskets over the first 2:21 of the second stanza as senior guard Justine Ryan (Norwood, Mass.) tallied her first points of the game with a three from the corner to knot the score at 30-30. Rivier responded to the tied score with a 12-3 run over the next five minutes of the game. The spurt was highlighted by five layups and a jumper from the visitors. Lasell ended the run with a layup form Barrett to make the score 42-35 with 11:54 to play.

The Lasers stormed back with a 15-6 run of their own over the middle portion of the second stanza to take their first lead since the beginning of the game. Cashman netted back-to-back three pointers and Stopera hit a three of her own over the next 5:31 to take a 50-48 lead with 6:23 to play.

Tied at 56-56 with 3:54 left on the clock, both teams went end-to-end for the next two minutes, but neither team could find the hoop until DeBaldo rolled in a driving layup with less than two minutes left on the clock. A Rivier foul with ten ticks left to play gave Stopera a chance at a 1-and-1 opportunity. Stopera hit the back end of the attempts as River held on to a 60-57 road victory.

Lasell shot 33.3-percent (20-for-60) from the floor, 44.4-percent (12-for-27) from beyond the arc and 71.4-percent (5-for-7) from the charity stripe. Rivier shot 41.1-percent (23-for-56) from the field, 28.6-percent (4-for-14) from long range and 83.3-percent (10-for-12) from the free throw line.

Both teams return to action on Thursday, February 19. Lasell (8-15, 3-7 GNAC) remains at home as the Lasers face off against non-conference opponent Pine Manor with tip-off slated for 7:00 p.m., while Rivier (10-12, 6-3 GNAC) returns to Nashua for a conference match against Suffolk at 6:00 p.m.