BOSTON, MA (January 20, 2024) – The UMass Boston women's basketball team took a hard-fought loss on the chin from the Clark Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon against the Warriors of Eastern Connecticut after a final push in the fourth quarter was just enough for the Warriors to scrape by with the win to hand the Beacons a loss at home.

Graduate guard Keriann Farina led the way offensively for the Beacons, scoring an efficient 12 points on four-of-seven shooting. Farina also led the team in assists with a team-high three dimes for her teammates. Farina was superseded in her efficiency by her teammates Kayla Jackson, and Somora Merchant, with Jackson contributing nine points on five shots, and Merchant tallying eight points with six shots. Merchant and Farina, along with senior forward Alexah Potter and Graduate guard Paige Olivierre with the anchors on the defensive end for UMass, with Olivierre and Farina registering two steals each, and Merchant and Potter swatting away a combined two shots. Sophomore guard Sophie Bradbury continued her dominance on the glass, pulling down a team-high seven rebounds.

Potter kicked things off for the Beacons, winning the opening tip and scoring an easy pull up mid-ranger to open the scoring for the Beacons. Both teams threw punches back ad forth to begin the game, but neither were able to significantly pull away, with the first period concluding at 17-16 with the Warriors maintaining a one-point advantage. The Beacs got off to a good start, shooting 43% as a team to begin the game.

The Beacons were able to put the clamps on in the second quarter, holding the Warriors to just eight points, as they ran out to a 31-25 lead heading into the halftime break. Merchant was able to find her groove this period, finishing two layups in the paint through traffic. First-year Maddie Parks got in on the action, closing out the quarter with a steal and score to put the Beacons up six with time expiring.

The third period saw the wheels begin to fall off for the Beacs, as the Warriors came out of the halftime break swinging. Eastern Connecticut started the period on an 11-6 run to bring the scoring level at 34. The Beacs shot a collective 5-18 in the third period. By the conclusion of the third, the Warriors were within striking distance, just one point behind UMass heading into the final period.

Jackson opened the fourth quarter with a fastbreak layup to give her squad a cushion to begin the period. However, the Warriors shot selection was the key to their comeback, as they shot 50% to close out the game. They were ultimately able to regain the lead with just under six minutes remaining in the final quarter, and despite the back and forth battle, the one point deficit for the Beacons was enough for the Warriors to run away with the lead and the win to hand UMass Boston the home loss.

The Beacons faired well despite the loss, as they fall to 4-12 on the year, and 2-7 in the Little East Conference. UMass Boston women's basketball is back in action again on Wednesday, January 24^th as they travel south to Danbury, CT to take on the Wolves of Western Connecticut. Live stats and video coverage can be found at UMass Boston - Official Athletics Website (beaconsathletics.com).