Women’s Basketball Comes Up Short at WPI, 74-71

WORCESTER, Mass. — Despite a combined 52-point effort from Lyric Grumblatt and Hannah Muchemore, the Rivier women's basketball team came up short at WPI in non-conference play on Saturday afternoon at Harrington Auditorium, 74-71.

The Raiders remained winless through two contests while the Engineers improved to 3-1 on the season.

The Riders faced a 24-30 deficit with four minutes left in the first half. Senior Rachel Guinn ignited a 5-0 Rivier run with a three-pointer and an assist, narrowing the gap to 30-29. However, the Goats responded with a 7-3 run to finish the half ahead, 37-32.

WPI opened the second half in dominant fashion, scoring nine consecutive points to extend their lead to 46-32, forcing a timeout from Rivier. Grumblatt kept the Raiders in the game by scoring the next nine points for Rivier, going 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Sophomore Alyssa Scharn and Muchemore added late baskets to close out the quarter with Rivier trailing 58-50.

The teams exchanged baskets throughout most of the quarter, with the Raiders trailing by 11 at 72-61 with 1:25 left on the clock. Muchemore hit a deep three-pointer and showed composure at the free-throw line to bring the game within two possessions. After a successful WPI free throw, Grumblatt converted an and-one layup to narrow the gap to 73-69 with 18 seconds remaining. WPI then missed two free throws, and a quick score by Guinn made it a one-possession game. The Goats went 1-for-2 from the line, and Rivier had a final chance to tie the game with a three-pointer with 2 seconds left, but the shot fell short, resulting in a 74-71 win for the Goats.

The Raiders continue their road trip with a non-conference game against Brandeis on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Gosman Athletic Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.