MOUNT IDA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Muldoon Gymnasium, Nashua, N.H.
FINAL: MOUNT IDA 76, RIVIER 56
NASHUA, N.H. -- Sophomore Valerie Martin (Derry, N.H.) scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while senior Patricia Liotta (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) matched her season-high 19 points to lead Mount Ida to a 76-56 Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over Rivier Tuesday evening at Muldoon Gymnasium.
The visiting Mustangs (10-6, 3-4 GNAC), who have reached double-digits in the win column for the first time in seven seasons, overcame a one-point first quarter deficit (15-14) by outscoring the host Raiders (0-12, 0-8 GNAC) 29-5 in the second stanza, as Martin gave Mount Ida the lead for good with a three-pointer 35 seconds into the frame that sparked an 11-1 run. Rivier sliced its deficit to seven on a jumper by junior Megan Hamel (Colebrook, N.H.) with 2:36 to play in the half, but the Mustangs took control of the contest by scoring the final 16 points before intermission that included a trio of three-pointers from Liotta, senior Breanna Muir (Wareham, Mass.) and sophomore Taylor Churchill (Fort Fairfield, Maine) for a commanding 43-20 edge at the break.
After building a 25-point lead (61-36) heading into the fourth quarter, the visitors extended that margin to as many as 30 points on a lay-in by senior Imani Bumpus (Dedham, Mass.) in notching their second straight victory and completing a season-sweep of the hosts. Liotta canned four three-pointers and added four rebounds in the triumph for Mount Ida, which received nine points and seven assists from Muir along with six points from Churchill. Bumpus added four points and four boards for the Mustangs, who received five points from sophomore Jessica Cyr (Ashford, Conn.) to go with four points each from senior Jaime Moscato (Taunton, Mass.) and sophomore Jillian Alperin (Needham, Mass.). Sophomore Alisa Benson (Middletown, R.I.) also grabbed four caroms for the visitors, who shot 36 percent (24-67) from the field overall and connected for eight three-pointers while holding a 20-10 scoring edge at the charity stripe for the evening.
Senior Emilee Kacavas (Dracut, Mass.) recorded a double-double effort of 16 points, 16 rebounds and three steals in the setback for Rivier, which received seven points and 11 boards from Hamel to go with six points, three caroms and three assists from junior Kaylee Kacavas (Dracut, Mass.). Junior Lizzy Meehan (Nashua, N.H.) added nine points and nine rebounds on the night for the Raiders, who shot 32 percent (21-64) from the floor overall and held a 53-39 rebounding advantage for the contest, but the hosts hurt themselves with 23 turnovers that were converted into 23 Mustang points.
Mount Ida hosts Simmons in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference outing on Thursday afternoon at the Athletic Center that tips-off at 5:00 p.m., while Rivier heads to Boston to take on Emmanuel in a GNAC clash that also begins at 5:00 p.m.