Women's Basketball posts 61-50 win over Daniel Webster

(Nashua, N.H.) The Rivier University Women's Basketball team used 18-2 run to close out the first half and never looked back as they posted a 61-50 victory over cross-town foe Daniel Webster College in non-conference action on Tuesday night.

The Raiders (3-2) climbed over .500 on the early season with their third straight win, while the Eagles dropped to 0-4. It was Rivier's fourth straight victory over their Nashua neighbors.

Junior Caitlyn Perry (Nashua, N.H.) led Rivier with a game-high 15 points while classmate Savanna Butterfield (Londonderry, N.H.) added 14. Junior Caitlin Bulger (Quincy, Mass.) and freshman Kaylee Kacavas (Dracut, Mass.) notched eight points apiece. Senior Hayley Barnard (Bedford, N.H.) led the Raiders with six rebounds.

Desiree McGee (Spring Hill, Fla.) posted her second double-double of the season for the hosts with 14 points and a game-high 12 boards, adding four steals, while Ashley England picked up 14 points.

Brianna Diggs (Washington, D.C.) flirted with a double-double, chipping in with eight points and nine rebounds, and added four assists and two steals for DWC. Amanda Dargie (Melbourne, Fla.) added seven points.

DWC led 9-7 after a slow start for both teams over the opening quarter and the Eagles built the lead to 19-13 as a McGee jumper in the paint with 6:11 to go in the second. But the Eagles were held without a field goal through to the break and Rivier took over the lead on a three-pointer from Perry with 4:15 to go. Four jumpers from Butterfield during that final stretch helped pushed the advantage to 31-21 at intermission.

The Raiders opened the third with an 11-2 run ending with another Butterfield layup that gave Rivier its largest lead at 19 (42-23) at the 5:10 mark and a late Perry jumper closed the third with the visitors in front by 21 (50-29).

Trailing by 23 with 9:24 left, DWC whittled the lead down to 13 with a 12-2 run of their own including three inside baskets from McGee and eventually worked the deficit down to eight after a Dargie three with 1:15 remaining.

But Rivier senior Jackie Pisecco (Chelmsford, Mass.) answered from 15 feet and DWC missed on its final two possessions to close out the final.

DWC won the boards (49-41) but shot just 28-percent on the night while Rivier connected on 37-percent.

Rivier visits Framingham State next Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. before finally opening their home slate against Pine Manor on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. The Eagles return to play game five of their six-game season opening home stand next Tuesday with their NECC opener against Lesley at 7:00 p.m.