EASTON, MA (Feb. 5, 2008) – Junior C Kelsey Simonds scored 17 points to lead No. 16 Stonehill College over UMass Lowell, 65-51, Tuesday night in a Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball clash at the Merkert Gymnasium.

With the loss, UML slipped to 10-12 overall and 5-12 in the NE-10 entering Saturday’s home game against Le Moyne (2:00). The Skyhawks improved to 17-4 overall and 13-3 in the Conference.

Senior F Liron Asher (Givataim, Israel) and junior C Revital Carmon (Bat-Yam, Israel) each scored 15 points for the River Hawks. Asher converted 5 of 6 field goals while Carmon connected on 3 of 6 attempts while meshing 9 of 11 free throw shots. She also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Sophomore G Megan Methven added 11 points while senior G Erika Stupinski added 10 points and four assists for Stonehill. Junior G Bethany Tighe also chipped in 10 points and grabbed five rebounds.

Led by Simonds, the Skyhawks outscored UML 22-12 in the paint. Stonehill also enjoyed a 21-6 edge from behind the 3-point arc as Methven converted 3 of 5 attempts from long range.

The Skyhawks shot .489 for the game (22-45), including .500 in the first half (11-22) while UML struggled to a .375 clip overall (15-40), but improving its touch in the second half (.421, 8-19).

Stonehill led 21-17 with 4:57 left in the first half, and ended the half with a 12-0 run fueled by five points from Stupinski, to post a 33-17 cushion at the break.

The Skyhawks led 45-30 midway through the second half and used an 11-2 spurt to post its largest lead, 56-32, with 8:06 to play. Methven scored five points in the run.