The 2003-04 season for the UMass Boston’s women’s basketball team is officially underway and the results are, after two games, encouraging.
The Beacons, featuring a roster drastically different from last year, split a pair of home games at the Clark Athletic Center, beating the Mustangs of Mount Ida College, 78-63, in the season opener, and then dropping a close contest to Fitchburg State, 78-71.
Sophomore guard Elmina Darville, one of the returning players for the young UMB squad, led the way in the Mount Ida game, scoring a career-high 14 points. Beacon Coach Shawn Reneé Polk sent 11 players into the game, keeping as fresh a unit as possible out on the floor.
The game did not begin well for the Beacons as Mount Ida pitched a shutout for the first 5 minutes and took an early six-point lead. UMB fought back, however, as newcomers Lauren Bertolini and Denise Ridge each made tough shots, propelling the Beacons to a 28-22 halftime lead.
The Beacons got an early 8-0 run in the second half to push the lead to ten. Mount Ida did its best to stay in the game, but UMB controlled the boards and hit a majority of their free throws (16-21 for the game). The Beacons also hit a good percentage of their shots from beyond the arc as freshman Kristen Reske, senior Indya Mitchell, and Darville each notched two treys in the game.
In all seven freshman made appearances in the game and if the Beacons are to at least be competitive in the Little East Conference this year, then the young players will have to be on the floor early and often in the first month of the season.
The Fitchburg State game was one the Beacons could have won. Although the Beacons trailed at halftime 41-38, the team was playing reasonably well. Sophomore Aga Matel had 10 points and 11 rebounds in the first twenty minutes of play to lead UMass Boston. The Falcons, however, converted 7 of 14 three-point attempts, led by Jen Fontaine’s 3 for 6.
The Beacons grabbed the momentum early in the second half on the backs of Indya Mitchell (12 points) and Kristen Reske (13 points). UMB had a four-point lead with less than seven minutes left in the game. But Fitchburg State proceeded to go on a 18-6 run that ruined any hopes of a second straight Beacons victory. Matel led all Beacons with 19 points and 14 rebounds.
The Beacons play at home against LEC foe Western Connecticut State on Saturday, December 6, 2003 at 1pm.