LOWELL, Mass. – Denise Solis scored a game-high 16 points, leading UMass Lowell (8-4, 7-2 AE) to a 59-49 victory over Binghamton (3-8, 3-6 AE) in an America East women's basketball game on Saturday afternoon at the Costello Athletic Center. The contest marked the first of a two-game series between the teams, who will square off again Sunday at 1 p.m.

Solis was limited to just 21 minutes of play due to foul trouble. Still, she went 5-for-8 from the field and was 6-for-8 from the free throw line. She also finished with four rebounds and a block.

The loss overshadowed a career day by junior forward Kathryn Kirkwood, who finished with a team-best 13 points. In just eight minutes off the bench, she went 5-for-7 from the field and made three of her five free throws.

Sophomore guard Denai Bowman and junior guard Hayley Moore each scored nine points. Bowman also posted four rebounds, three assists and a game-high four steals. Moore, meanwhile, swished three of her eight three-point field goal attempts.

The Bearcats were within 41-37 with 3:07 left in the third period. From there, however, UMass Lowell held the Bearcats scoreless over the next eight minutes and built a 53-37 lead.

UMass Lowell built their largest lead of the day when a Shamyjah Price layup made the score 57-40 with 4:09 remaining. Kirkwood then scored all nine of the Bearcats' points over the remainder of the game.

"UMass Lowell did a good job today in getting second-chance scoring and going to the free throw line," head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord. "We took care of the basketball better as the game went on but we didn't handle their adjustments after the half. Kathryn did a good job for us when she was in the game. She did what she needed to do today."

Sophomore forward Birna Benonysdottir chipped in seven points and tied for the team lead with six rebounds.

Tiahna Sears added 10 points in the winning effort.

UMass Lowell held a 40-35 rebounding edge as well as a 30-22 advantage in points in the paint. At the free throw line, the River Hawks were 18-of-23 (78 percent) while the Bearcats shot just 58 percent (7-of-13).

NOTES: Kirkwood is a transfer from USC-Upstate. She was cleared to play in her first season with the Bearcat program after arriving this past summer.