BOSTON, MA (February 14, 2024)—Senior guard Keriann Farina and graduate forward Paige Olliverre combined for 30 points in a Valentine's Day date with victory from Castleton, Vermont as the UMass Boston women's basketball squad held on against the Vermont State University Castleton Spartans for the regular season finale victory.

Farina and Olliverre ended the season in their typical fashion, leading the offense for the Beacons with each scoring 15. Olliverre added 15 points on nine shots including two three-pointers, and three free throws. Farina added four free throws to go with her five makes from the field, along with two steals on the defensive end. Farina and Olliverre were supported by first-year guard Sophie Bradbury, who added 10 points on four makes from the field. Olliverre pulled down a team-high in rebounds with seven boards assisted by senior forward Alexah Potter, and first-year forward Mia Molinari who each pulled down six shots off the glass. The Beacons shot 50% in the third quarter (9-18), and 47% (8-17) in the first quarter, which aided in the cushion that held them over the top of the Spartans for the road victory on the final game of the season. The deciding factor in the victory was the Beacons' defense, as their seven steals helped produce 17 points off turnovers.

Potter started off the Beacons with initial possession, but the first quarter was kicked off by both teams trading blows with each possession. UMass was able to gain some ground halfway through the quarter following free throws from sophomore Tatiannah Fevry, and Olliverre' s first three-pointer of the night. A Bradbury three-pointer, her only of the evening, would then stretch the lead to nine points in the final minutes of the quarter, as the Beacons headed into the second quarter with a seven-point cushion. The Beacs ripped away four steals in the first period, which helped them jump-start the lead following the initial moments.

The opening possession of the second quarter spawned another steal by Fevry, as the Beacons continued to tighten their on-ball pressure. The Spartans produced some stops of their own, as a pair of free throws and a three-pointer with under five minutes remaining would bring them to within one possession, just three points in the Beacons' shadow. The Spartans remained within reach for the remainder of the quarter, as UMass began to toe the line of foul trouble, as the Spartans went 7-10 from the charity stripe in the quarter. The Beacons hit the locker rooms down two heading into the break.

Farina opened the second half with a mid-range jumper smoother than butter. UMass Boston fed off the hot start, as Olliverre matched Farina with another three-pointer to give them a one-point edge. Farina answered her own teammate on the following possession with a three-pointer of her own to further stretch the lead to four. Spartans were able to hang around for the entirety of the quarter, as the continued success at the free-throw line was able to keep them within striking distance. Farina stretched the Beacons' gap over the Spartans to seven with another mid-range jumper with time winding down in the third quarter. A Potter jumper sent UMass into the final period of play up by six. The Beacons shot 50% from the field in the third quarter, leading them to outscore Castleton 22-14 in the quarter.

With 10 minutes remaining, the Spartans were down but not out for the count, only trailing by six. With both teams fatigued, scoring came much more scarcely in this quarter. The Spartans opened
scoring with a three pointer that brought them to within five points of the Beacons. Three minutes would pass before the next basket was knocked down by Olliverre that would bring the lead back to seven for the Beacons. A pair of Spartan free-throws answered Olliverre's jumper two minutes later with 3:28 remaining. With one minute remaining, the Spartans would make a final push with a deep-range three pointer to cut the Beacons' lead to three with just over 60 seconds remaining. Olliverre would ice the game at the free throw line to put them just out of reach of the Spartans, as the
UMass lead was too big with 10 seconds remaining, as the Spartans' final attempt was faltered too little too late. UMass Boston would come away with the tight victory away from home.

The UMass Boston women's basketball team conclude their season 5-18 overall, with a Little East Conference record of 3-13. Farina led the team in scoring average this year, as she put up 10.3 points per game this season. Bradbury and Potter led the way on the glass for the Beacons this season, pulling down an average 5.3 rebounds per game.