AMHERST, Mass. – Freshman Claire Jacobs led all scorers Wednesday night with 29 points as the La Salle women's basketball team (6-11, 0-4 A-10) fell at UMass (14-3, 4-0 A-10). The Explorers battled through the duration of the game before the Minutewomen opened a sizable lead in the final period.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• La Salle started the game with a 6-2 spurt with a pair of threes – one each from the Jacobs twins. UMass tied the game at six apiece before the Explorers scored the next five points for an 11-6 lead. The Minutewomen had a 14-4 advantage over the final 5:14 to hold a 20-15 lead after one.
• The Minutewomen started the period with a 5-2 spurt before the Blue & Gold answered with a 9-3 run over a 3:12 span into the media break at 4:30. C. Jacobs accounted for five of the points on that run. The teams swapped the final 10 points of the frame for a 33-31 UMass lead at the half.
• Both teams scored eight points apiece up to the media stoppage at 4:50 to begin the third. C. Jacobs registered five of the Explorers' points with the other three from rookie Christina Kline. UMass pushed its lead to seven with a 14-9 margin over the remainder of the frame to lead 55-48.
• La Salle started the final stanza outpacing the home team 6-4 before the Minutewomen hit a pair of threes. UMass ended the game with an 11-8 spurt to seal the victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• C. Jacobs was 12-of-18 from the floor, including 5-of-7 from long range.
• Sophomore Kayla Spruill ended the game with 11 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Spruill added two blocks to her stat line.
• Junior Kate Hill handed out eight assists.
• La Salle outshot UMass 37.9% to 35.6%.

GAME NOTES:

• Senior Shalina Miller tied Amy Griffin '18 for the all-time mark of 151 career blocks.

UP NEXT:
La Salle returns home to Philadelphia for a nationally televised bout against St. Bonaventure on Sunday. Tip is slated for 3 p.m. with the game airing live on NBC Sports Network.