Women’s Basketball Suffers First GNAC Loss, Falls to Saint Joseph (Conn.), 72-60
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rivier (8-8,4-1 Great Northeast) | 23 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 60 |
|
Saint Joseph (Conn.) (10-5,5-0 Great Northeast) | 22 | 15 | 22 | 13 | 72 |
WEST HARTFORD, CONN —The Rivier women's basketball team faced its first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) setback of the season, falling to Saint Joseph (Conn.) 72-60 on Saturday afternoon at the Calhoun Gymnasium.
The loss ends Rivier's best start to a conference season since the 2013-14 campaign, dropping the team to 8-8 (4-1 GNAC), while the Blue Jays improved to 10-5 (5-0 GNAC).
First-year Gianna Donato scored six straight points to give the Raiders an early 8-6 lead, but the Blue Jays responded with an 11-3 run to take their first lead of the game at 17-11 with 3:14 left in the first quarter. Rivier countered with an 11-6 run of their own, capped by a three-pointer from senior Rachel Guinn, ending the quarter with a 23-22 advantage.
Graduate Lyric Grumblatt extended the Raiders' scoring run with five consecutive points, giving them a 27-22 lead at the 8:34 mark of the second quarter. Saint Joseph narrowed the gap to a single possession, but graduate Hannah Muchemore responded with a three-pointer from the top of the key, restoring a five-point cushion at 33-28. The Blue Jays answered with a quick 6-0 run to regain the lead, but a layup by first-year Sydney Perry helped the Raiders reclaim a 35-34 advantage with under a minute left in the half. A buzzer-beating three-pointer gave Saint Joseph a narrow 37-35 lead at the break.
Rivier struggled to find their footing in the third quarter, managing only 12 points while conceding a 22-12 run, which left them trailing 59-47 heading into the final period. A layup from Grumblatt narrowed the deficit to seven with 1:14 remaining, but the Blue Jays quickly regained their double-digit lead and held on for a 72-60 victory.
Grumblatt led the Raiders with 18 points and five rebounds, while Donato contributed 14 points and seven rebounds. Muchemore added to the effort with 11 points and four assists, rounding out the double-digit scorers.
The Raiders wrap up their road trip with a conference game against Anna Maria on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at the Fuller Activities Center. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
