Danes hold on for 3rd straight
Heeps, Decortes, Frames score key points down stretch
Kyara Frames scored 13 points and Helene Haegerstrand added 12 points to spark the University at Albany women to a 46-39 win over Umass Lowell Saturday in Lowell, Mass.
The Great Danes (5-6, 4-3) led the entire second half, but didn’t put the River Hawks away until late on their way to a season-best three gamewinning streak.
After Umass Lowell pulled within one point, Grace Heeps nailed a three-pointer with two minutes left and Lucia Decortes extended the Great Danes’ lead with a layup. Frames sank a pair of free throws in the final minute to seal the win.
“We’re thrilled with the win today,” Ualbany coach Colleen Mullen said. “We were able to execute down the stretch and get some really big stops.”
Kayleen Banwareesingh scored 10 points for Umass Lowell (8-6, 7-4).
Banwareesingh scored six straight points to give the River Hawks a 10-3 lead.
The Great Danes held the River Hawks scoreless for eight minutes extending from the second quarter to early in the third quarter. Umass Lowell shot 1-for-15 in the second quarter.
Ualbany claimed the lead during that stretch and never relinquished it.
“Our defense was extremely impressive,” Mullen said. “We will need to work on our boxing out for tomorrow. At times we didn’t finish out the play with a box out and gave up some second chance opportunities.”
Umass Lowell several times made runs, but Frames made shots to repel the rallies.
The River Hawks were especially ineffective from 3-point range, going 0for-7 while Ualbany shot 5-for-17 from beyond the arc.