WBK: Ortiz and Young lead Lasell past Rivier for GNAC victory

NASHUA, N.H. – Senior Amanda Ortiz (Newton, Mass.) and junior Peyton Young (Douglas, Mass.) combined for 49 points and 16 rebounds Tuesday evening as Lasell University defeated Rivier University, 82-70, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match-up at Muldoon Gymnasium.

Ortiz finished with a game-high 28 point while grabbing a team-high nine rebounds and four steals while Young scored 21 points and collected seven boards for the Lasers. Junior Meg Carroll (Douglas, Mass.) added seven points off the bench and classmate Devyn Markland (Derby, Conn.) contributed six points and eight rebounds.

They helped Lasell snap a four-game skid and improve to 10-12 overall and 3-7 in the GNAC, while the Raiders drop to 4-17 and 0-8. Lasell reached double digits in victories for the first time since 2016.

Four different Rivier student-athletes finished in double-figures, led by freshman Arianna Motivala (Nashua, N.H.) with a team-high 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the floor. Classmate Jaden Smith (Nashua, N.H.) added 16 points with both sophomore Cydney Lessard (Derry, N.H.) and freshman Heather Ries (Mont Vernon, N.H.) netting 10 points each. Sophomore Alexandra Grumblatt (Manchester, N.H.) pulled down the game-high of 18 rebounds while contributing eight points and senior Jackelyn Robarge (Belmont, N.H.) finished with seven points in the loss.

Rivier had the lead early on before Lasell came back to take a 19-17 lead after one quarter. An 8-2 run by the hosts to start the second quarter gave Rivier the lead back, but the Lasers answered with a 17-5 rally to take a 38-30 lead at the break.

The Raiders scored the first eight points of the third quarter to knot the score at 38-all. The teams went back and forth throughout the frame before Lasell outscored the hosts 9-3 over the last three minutes to grab a 59-54 margin heading into the fourth.

Rivier was within four points, 65-61 with 5:30 remaining in the game, but senior Dana Ross (East Haven, Conn.), Ortiz and sophomore Ali Fleischer (Westwood, Mass.) hit consecutive baskets for Lasell to push the lead to double digits, 71-61, with four minutes remaining. Rivier could get no closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Both squads will return to action on Saturday afternoon, February 15, as Lasell hosts Pine Manor College in a 2 p.m. non-conference affair and Rivier will make the trip to Providence, R.I. for a 1 p.m. GNAC contest at Johnson & Wales University.

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