Women’s Basketball Falls to Westfield St. in Season Opener, 91-75

NASHUA, N.H. – The Rivier women's basketball team fell to non-conference opponent Westfield St., 91-75, on Saturday afternoon at the Muldoon Center.

The loss puts the Raiders at 0-1 to start the season, while the Owls open with a 1-0 record.

Rivier trailed 13-8 with 6:29 left in the first quarter before fifth-year guard Lyric Grumblatt scored five consecutive points to tie the game. Sophomore forward Emily Coleman followed with her first basket of the season, giving Rivier a 15-13 lead. The teams continued to exchange baskets, but Westfield St. held a 22-20 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

The Owls built a 35-27 lead midway through the second quarter, fueled by a barrage of three-pointers. Sophomore forward Alyssa Scharn sparked a rally for the Raiders with consecutive steals and fast-break layups, helping erase the Owl lead. Key free throws from Grumblatt and senior Hannah Muchemore put the Raiders ahead 40-39 with just over a minute to play. However, Westfield St. ended the half on a 6-1 run, taking a 45-40 lead into the break.

The third quarter opened with Westfield St. in control, extending their lead to 61-46 with six minutes to play. Rivier responded with tough defense, using two steals and key stops to ignite a 13-1 run, closing the gap to 62-59 with just a minute left. The Owls answered back, using a 6-0 run to push their lead back to nine, heading into the fourth quarter with a 68-59 advantage.

Two three-pointers from Muchemore, along with consecutive baskets from Scharn and Grumblatt, pulled the Raiders to within one, 70-69, with eight minutes left in the game. However, the Owls responded with a dominant 21-6 run to close out the game, securing a 91-75 victory.

Grumblatt led the Raiders with 24 points, shooting 6-of-14 (43%) from the field and 10-of-12 (83%) from the free-throw line. Muchemore contributed 17 points and dished out 6 assists, while first-year forward Sydney Perry notched her first collegiate double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Senior guard Alexa Dufries also reached double figures, scoring 11 points.

Rivier heads to Worcester for a non-conference matchup against WPI on Saturday, Nov. 16. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the Harrington Auditorium.