Women's Basketball drops non-conference contest to Trinity, 65-53

(Hartford, Conn.) The Rivier University Women's Basketball team was unable to come away with a tough non-conference road victory this evening as they dropped a 65-53 decision to Trinity College on Stan Ogrodnik Court inside the Oosting Gymnasium. The loss sends the Raiders to an overall record of 8-10 while the Bantams extend their current non-conference winning streak to four games and are now 7-13 on the year.

Rivier was led offensively by sophomore forward Savanna Butterfield (Londonderry, N.H.) and senior guard Deanna Purcell (Hudson, N.H.) who both recorded double-doubles. Purcell poured in 16 points and had a game-high 12 rebounds, while Butterfield netted 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Caitlyn Perry (Nashua, N.H.) recorded eight points to go along with three assists and sophomore forward Chelsey Hussey (Lebanon, Conn.) scored seven points and grabbed seven rebounds off the bench for the Raiders.

Three Bantams scored in double figures led by junior center Mackenzie Griffin (Stamford, Conn.) with a game-high 17 points. The other two players to score in double figures for the hosts were senior swing player Taylor Higgins (Merrick, N.Y.) and junior forward Melanie Mills (Woodstock, Conn.) with 14 and 11, respectively. Higgins filled out the stat sheet for the Bantams as she grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists, while Mills pulled down eight boards. Sophomore guard Sheena Landy (Durham, Conn.) had a big game for Trinity, scoring seven points, grabbing seven rebounds and registering a game-high six assists.

Rivier will welcome Saint Joseph's College (Maine) to the Muldoon Gymnasium on Thursday evening in a rematch of last season's Great Northeast Athletic Conference Semi-finals. Game time is set for 7pm. Trinity returns to action this weekend, Feb. 6-7, with a pair of New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) tilts versus in-state rivals Wesleyan and Connecticut College.