WBK: Lasell opens new year with victory at UM-Farmington; Ortiz, Montgomery pace Lasers

FARMNGTON, Maine – Senior Amanda Ortiz (Newton, Mass.) and junior Precious Montgomery (Bridgeport, Conn.) combined for 38 points, 15 rebounds and 10 steals Saturday afternoon as Lasell University opened 2020 with a 72-55 victory over the University of Maine Farmington in non-conference women's basketball action in Dearborn Gymnasium.

The Lasers turned the tables against the Beavers, avenging a 72-57 defeat to UMF earlier this season at the GNAC-NAC Challenge at Rivier University in late November. Lasell improves to 6-5 on the season while UMF is now 5-5.

Ortiz finished with a game-high 21 points along with six rebounds and a season-best eight steals. She made 7-of-10 shots from the field, scoring at least 20 points for the seventh time this season. Montgomery scored 17 points, grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and added six assists and two steals. Junior Peyton Young (Douglas, Mass.) was the next high-scorer for Lasell with eight points.

Junior Alex Bessey (Jay, Maine) led the home team with 11 points, while three players had nine points each -- junior McKenna Brodeur (Oakland, Maine) and sophomores Tia Day (Monmouth, Maine) and Page Brown (Boothbay, Maine).

Trailing 18-15 after one quarter, Lasell outscored the Beavers 46-28 in the middle two periods to open up a 61-46 margin. Ortiz and Montgomery combined for 15 of the Lasers' 22 points in the second quarter and 14 of the 24 points in the third frame. Lasell led by as many as 24 points in the fourth quarter before coasting home to the win.

Lasell shot 50 percent from the field (28-of-56) while holding the Beavers to a 36.2 percent clip (21-of-58).

The Lasers open the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) portion of the schedule next Saturday, January 11, with a visit to Johnson & Wales University for a 1 p.m. tip-off. UMF is right back in action on Monday, January 6, with a non-conference game at Wheaton College at 5 p.m.

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