Heartbreak in Amherst: Women’s Basketball Stumbles in A-10 Kickoff Against UMass

NEW YORK – Taylor Donaldson achieved a season-high in points for the third consecutive night, and the Rams shot just below 50% from the field, but Fordham University’s women’s basketball team lost to UMass, 78-61, on Sunday afternoon in the inaugural game of Atlantic 10 Conference action.

With a precise shooting performance of 10-of-18, Donaldson netted 5-of-8 attempts from beyond the arc to total a season-high of 25 points, also contributing three steals to lead the squad. Emma Wilson-Saltos surpassed 700 career points, marking her first double-digit scoring game for the Maroon and White with 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting and 4-of-6 from the charity stripe.

Anastasija Veljovic recorded a career-high nine points in her first collegiate start, alongside three steals and four rebounds, tied with Wilson-Saltos for the second most rebounds of the game. Irene Murua spearheaded the rebounding effort with nine boards and eight points, followed closely by Chae Harris with seven points.

As a team, Fordham shot 46.2% and 44.4% from deep; however, UMass extended their lead at the free throw line, outscoring the Rams 12-5 from the foul line, while shooting 57% from both the field and three-point range. The Rams’ record stands at 6-6 for the season following this opening non-conference contest.

A high-scoring opening quarter featured the two teams combining for nearly 50 points, with UMass maintaining the lead for most of the period and ending with a 26-19 advantage after the first ten minutes.

Kicking off the second quarter on a 10-2 run, the Rams surged ahead to a 29-28 lead less than three minutes into the frame. The Minutewomen then turned the tables before the half ended, closing out the last five minutes with a 10-3 run to regain a seven-point lead at the break.

Another strong start in the third quarter allowed the Rams to narrow the UMass lead to just two, but the Minutewomen pulled back in front again, extending to a nine-point lead with 4:11 remaining in the quarter. A swift six points from Fordham brought them back within a single possession, but a late three-pointer provided the Minutewomen with a six-point advantage heading into the fourth.

UMass started strong in the final quarter and maintained their lead, limiting the Rams offensively to secure the victory on the first full day of non-conference play.

Fordham aims to recover when they return home to The Bronx on Jan. 2 to celebrate the New Year against Richmond at the Rose Hill Gym at 2:00 p.m.