PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle women's basketball team (3-5, 0-2 A-10) could not put together a full 40-minute effort Sunday afternoon as it fell to Massachusetts (6-1, 2-0 A-10), 78-61. The Explorers kept the game within a single digit deficit up until the 7:30 mark in the fourth quarter.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• La Salle was quick out of the gate as it jumped ahead 11-4 over the first 3:16 of the game. UMass tightened things up with a 9-6 advantage up to the media stoppage at 4:45. The Minutewomen pulled ahead with eight of the next 10 points and 10 of the final 15 to finish the frame up, 23-22.
• The teams traded buckets up to the media break of the second stanza at 3:20 with UMass up 30-29. La Salle was able to knot things at 34 apiece with a long ball from junior Molly Masciantonio, but UMass hit two free throws right before the buzzer to take a 36-34 lead into the half.
• UMass held a 10-8 advantage after senior Kate Hill hit a three to pull the game within four in the third period. La Salle took a timeout and then the Minutewomen took a 6-2 run to pull ahead by eight points for their largest lead up to that point with 4:53 remaining in the third. The Blue & Gold was able to close the gap to five, but UMass ended the quarter up 61-52.
• UMass pulled away for good in the final quarter with a 17-9 advantage over the Explorers.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Sophomore Claire Jacobs led the team with 15 points on 5-of-17 from the field and 5-of-6 from the stripe. She added a team high five rebounds to her line.
• Masciantonio dropped 12 points on a 4-of-10 afternoon and corralled four boards.
• Hill score a career high 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting. The point guard added four assists.
• Sophomore Amy Jacobs tallied eight points to round out the top four scorers.
• La Salle shot 36.7% and 22.6% from deep compared to the Minutewomen's 45.9% from the floor and 23.8% from long range.
• UMass won the rebounding margin (42-32) and turnover battle (15-18).
• Sam Breen registered a double-double for UMass with a game high 25 points and 13 rebounds.
• Destiney Philoxy neared a triple-double with 10 assists, nine points, and eight rebounds.

GAME NOTES:

• This was the first time this season where three or more Explorers registered 10 or more points each.

UP NEXT:
La Salle will have a weeklong gap until it hosts Saint Joseph's on Sunday at 2 p.m. inside Tom Gola Arena.