CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Lesley University women's basketball team netted their first victory of the season, marching past the University of Maine at Presque Isle 54-49 in a Sunday matinee at the Nicholas Athletics Center.
Lynx sophomore Theresa Pereira (Hopedale, Mass.) posted career-highs with 20 points and four steals to lead the hosts while senior Anthea Rathjens (Sudbury, Mass.) tied her career-high for the second time this week with 19 rebounds to go with six points. Sophomore Lilly Donovan (Newburyport, Mass.) added eight points, seven boards, and three assists and junior Hannah Levensailor (Ayer, Mass.) also finished with eight points and four rebounds.
UMPI junior Amanda Hotham (Fort Fairfield, Maine) had a huge day for the Owls, finishing with a double-double of 24 points, 20 rebounds, four steals, and a block. Freshman Sydney Churchill (Fort Fairfield, Maine) and first year Holli Boyce (Stonington, Maine) added eight points apiece.
Levensailor kicked off the fourth quarter with a jumper from the right side to give the Lynx a seven point lead, 44-37, but the Owls used a trey from Kylee Alton (Burnham, Maine) to spark a 7-2 run to bring the guests to within two with 7:04 left on the clock.
UMPI had a chance to tie the game following a Lesley turnover, but Lynx senior Ari Dimou (Manchester, N.H.) – who finished with five points, six rebounds, and three assists – blocked a shot that led to a Pereira three on the other end to push the lead back to five.
The Owls would pull to within two once twice more with under three minutes to play, but each time the Lynx had an answer. Hayley Wirth (Escondido, Calif.) hit a jumper from 15-feet to put the hosts up 51-47 before Boyce followed with a jumper of her own with just 53-seconds left to trim the lead back to two.
UMPI would be called for a pivotal technical foul on the next offensive possession for the hosts and Pereira knocked down both freebies to ice the game before hitting one more free throw with 21-seconds on the clock to secure the 54-49 win.
Lesley will close out their first semester schedule on Tuesday when they host Simmons College in a non-conference matchup at 8:00p.