BOSTON, Mass. -- Senior forward Jennie Lindland (Edgartown, Mass.) scored a season-high 22 points and senior guard Stephanie DeSantis (Walpole, Mass.) added a career-high 20 to lead the visiting Bridgewater State University women's basketball team to a 77-68 victory over UMass Boston on Thursday evening at the Clark Athletic Center.

The Bears improve to 4-8 as they snapped a five-game losing streak, while the host Beacons fall to 5-7.

The visitors jumped out to a 47-28 lead at the break and stretched their lead out to as many as 27 late in the third, before the Beacons began to mount a comeback. UMass Boston cut the deficit to eight with 2:51 to play, only to have the Bears knock down five of their next six free throws to ice the game.

Bridgewater State had four players finish in double-figures led by Lindland's 22 points and DeSantis' 20. Junior forward Rhiana Page (Brookline, Mass.) added 12 points and sophomore guard Sara DaSilva (Chelmsford, Mass.) chipped in with ten. 

Lindland went 6-for-8 from the floor and 10-for-15 from the free throw line while adding seven rebounds and three steals. DeSantis knocked down 8 of 12 field goal attempts including 4-for-6 from behind the arc. She also notched five rebounds and three assists.

Senior guard Chelsea Saucier (Portland, Maine) filled the stat sheet with nine points, seven board, five assists and four steals.

Seventy-three of the Bears' 77 points came from their five starters. 

Senior guard Chantel Jordan (Brockton, Mass.) put together a career performance in the loss for the Beacons, as she finished with a career-best 25 points on 9-of-17 shooting. Junior forward Raven Kelsey (Boston, Mass.) tacked on a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore guard Ariana Rivera (Burlington, Mass.) chipped in with three 3-pointers and 14 points off the bench. Senior forward Katrina Edwards (Springfield, Mass.) tied for the team-high with 10 rebounds, including seven offensive boards.

After UMass Boston leapt out to a 5-0 lead, the Bears scored eight in a row and 20 of the next 22 points to grab a 20-7 advantage. By the end of the first quarter the lead was 23-11 and would only continue to grow.

The Bears knocked down 53 percent of their shots in the second quarter and hit 8-of-9 free throws to push the lead to 47-28 at the break.

Bridgewater State would continue to stretch out the lead throughout most of the third quarter, with Linland's two free throws with 2:59 in the quarter pushing the lead to 62-35.

UMass Boston broke out of their slumber at that point and began their comeback efforts. Sophomore center Michaela Ilebode (Malden, Mass.), Rivera and Jordan combined for an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 62-45 with 39 seconds left in the third. The Bears closed out the quarter with a Saucier layup and Lindland free throw a 20-point game with ten minutes remaining.

Rivera and Kelsey combined to knock down a trio of three-pointers during a 11-2 run in the final period that made it 68-56 with 6:12 left to play. Senior guard Taje Burston (Springfield, Mass.) cut the deficit to eight (69-61) at 2:51, after she drained a three and then added a layup.

That, however, would be as close as the comeback would get, as DeSantis hit a back-breaking three on the next possession, and the visitors followed with five made free throws to secure the win.

The Bears, who went 0-for-1 from the free throw line in their last game, finished 25-of-38 from the charity stripe. The Beacons attempted only 19 free throws (12-of-19).

UMass Boston shot 38.1 percent (24-of-63) from the field and 8-of-18 (44.4 percent) on threes. The Bears ended the night shooting 54.8 percent (23-of-42) and 6-of-12 (50 percent) from behind the arc.

The Beacons owned an 18-4 edge in bench points and 39-28 edge in rebounds, while the Bears held a 24-11 advantage in points off turnovers.

With the win, Bridgewater State snapped a three-game losing streak against the Beacons and improved to 25-8 all-time against UMass Boston.

UMass Boston will return to Little East Conference play on Saturday, when they host Rhode Island College at 1 p.m.  The Bears open Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) play on Saturday when theyt travel to Framingham State University for a three o'clock game with the Rams.