(Photo courtesy of UML Athletics) “Alex Gitchenko shoots the ball”

UML Athletics

Senior Alex Gitchenko (Ashdod, Israel) and sophomore Rayne Durant (New Haven, Conn.) each recorded career highs, totaling 19 and 18 points, respectively, as UMass Lowell (1-8) took down Le Moyne (0-9) on the road at Ted Grant Court on a snowy Saturday afternoon.

“I love how unselfish we were today as a group,” said Head Coach Denise King. “I’m proud of how we continue to evolve with each game that we play. Now we will shift our focus for our game on Tuesday versus Iona.”

Gitchenko, who led the River Hawks in points in their first win of the season, also paced the team on the boards with seven rebounds, while adding four steals and two assists. She went 9-13 from the field, grabbing 12 of her points in the first half. Durant collected five boards, two steals and one assist. Sophomore Abbey Lindsey (Staten Island, N.Y.) followed with 16 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals. As a team, the River Hawks outshot their hosts from the field, 50.8% to 31.4%.

Gitchenko quickly heated up in the first quarter, going 3-3 from the field and notching six points for the River Hawks. At 3:09, a jumper from Gitchenko earned UMass Lowell its largest run of the contest, going on an 8-0 stretch to jump in front, 11-3.

Gitchenko sunk another six points in the second, while Lindsey would hit two three-pointers en route to eight points in the quarter, helping guide the River Hawks into the locker room with a 36-16 advantage.

The River Hawks would continue to dominate the floor in the third, including fast-break points from Gitchenko at 6:23 and a three-point play from Durant at 2:24, giving UMass Lowell a 16-point cushion, 50-34, heading into the final quarter.

Back for more, Durant knocked down two jumpers in a row, increasing UMass Lowell’s lead to 54-37 at 7:57. At the end of the fourth quarter, the Dolphins would try to make a comeback with seven unanswered points, but it was not enough to defeat the River Hawks.

The River Hawks will travel home to begin their three-game homestand first against Iona on Tuesday, December 10, with a tipoff scheduled for 6 p.m. at Costello Athletic Center.