BOSTON, MA (November 19, 2024) – The Beacons' women's basketball team fared well against an undefeated New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) team in the Connecticut College Camels from the Clark Gymnasium but ultimately couldn't close the gap.
The Basics:
UMass Boston 42 – 72 Connecticut College
UMass Boston (0-3)
Conn College (3-0)
How it Happened:

• The Beacons opened with a six-point unanswered run to begin the game, as they caught the Camels on their heels to begin the first quarter. With under two minutes to go, junior guard and captain Sibayla Jensen (Portland, Ore.) finished a beautiful jumper from beyond the arc off a perfect dish from junior guard Tatiannah Fevry (Dracut, Mass.). The Camels' leading scorer Mia Xerras scored five herself unanswered to close out the first. The Beacs were trailing by just five to enter the second quarter.
• Defense was the name of the game in the second quarter, as neither team could finish for the first three minutes. First-year guard Tajeha Madison (Brockton, Mass.) opened up the quarter for UMass Boston with her first career basket as a Beacon, coming off a flashy driving layup. Junior Sabanna Berrios (Providence, R.I.), sophomore Samora Merchant (Brookfield, Conn.) and first-year Ashleigh Lagor (Millbury, Mass.) would score the only other field goals in the quarter for the Beacons, as Conn College ran away with their lead to close out the first half, up by 11.
• Lagor and Berrios continued to provide offense down the stretch of the third quarter, however the Beacons struggled to break the Camels' defense.
• Also scoring their first career points as a Beacon, sophomore dual-sport athlete Hialeah Turner-Foster (Mashpee, Mass.) drove the lane and finished amongst the trees with a driving layup. The Beacons' defense raised the intensity in the final quarter, but the Camels served to be too much for UMass Boston.

By the numbers:

• Berrios was a two-way highlight reel in the effort, amassing 14 points (team-high) and three blocks. Berrios was the only Beacon to record a rejection in the stat sheet tonight, as her defense is beginning to round out as much as her offensive game. Berrios shot 7-10 from the field with no three-pointers or free throws. Lagor was just behind her in scoring with nine points to complement two rebounds, two assists and a steal.
• Merchant was starving on the glass tonight, as she pulled in a career-high 12 rebounds, a game-high.
• As a unit, the Beacs forced 21 Camels' turnovers, registered nine steals, and three blocks.

What's Next:

• The Beacons will travel to New York, N.Y., this weekend for the Hunter College Tip-Off Tournament. In round one, the Beacons are slated to face Saint Elizabeth University at 5:00 p.m. For live stats and video coverage, stay tuned for the preview, arriving Thursday.

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