WBB: Lasell defeats Rivier in GNAC meeting

NEWTON, Mass. – Graduate student Breanna Muir (Wareham, Mass.) scored a career-high 31 points Thursday evening as Lasell College defeated Rivier University, 81-64, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's basketball game at the Lasell Athletic Center.

Muir made 10-of-20 shots on the evening, matching her career-high with five three-pointers on nine attempts, while adding six rebounds and five assists. Junior Amanda Ortiz (Newton, Mass.) added 21 points and six steals for the Lasers, who snapped an eight-game losing streak and improved to 6-15 overall and 1-8 in the GNAC.

Muir's previous game-high performance was 23 points, accomplished twice during her career at Mount Ida College before joining the Lasers this season.

Seniors Kaylee Kacavas (Dracut, Mass.) and Elizabeth Meehan (Nashua, N.H.) scored 18 points apiece to lead the Raiders. Freshman Alexandra Grumblatt (Manchester, N.H.) chipped in with 11 points while senior Megan Hamel (Colebrook, N.H.) was a menace on the boards, collecting a career-high 24 rebounds. The Raiders drop to 3-17 overall and 1-9 in conference play.

 Lasell went on an 11-1 run early in the first quarter to open up a 13-5 lead, with Muir scoring eight points in the rally. The Lasers pulled ahead 26-7 by the end of the quarter, capped by a bucket by sophomore Dev Markland (Derby, Conn.).

Rivier battled back to outscore the home team 24-14 in the second quarter, slicing the deficit to nine points at the break, 40-31.

Meehan made the first basket to start the third quarter as the Raiders got to within seven, but Lasell answered with 11 consecutive points to push the margin back up to 18 (51-33). Muir had five points in the Laser rally and Ortiz had four. Lasell led by as many as 24 points (60-36), but Rivier scored eight consecutive points over the last four minutes of the quarter to cut the deficit to 60-44 after three. That's as close as the Raiders would come in the fourth quarter as Lasell went on to the 17-point victory.

The Lasers will wrap up the home portion of their schedule this Saturday, February 9, hosting Norwich University at 2:00 p.m. on Senior Day at the Athletic Center. Rivier returns home to host Simmons University in a GNAC encounter at 3:00 p.m.

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