For the Mountain Hawks, the contest served as a homecoming for sophomore Leia Edwards, who attended Sierra Canyon High School in California. Edwards led Lehigh in scoring with 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field. She also paced the Mountain Hawks on the glass, grabbing eight rebounds. Senior Gracyn Lovette also reached double figures, finishing with 10 points.
First-years Ryann Jennings and Olivia Fleming both earned starts in their collegiate debuts. Jennings finished with nine points, knocking down 3-of-6 attempts from beyond the arc. Fleming added four points and dished out an assist.
As a team Lehigh shot 38% from the field and 9-23 from behind the arc.
For the defending national champions, three players finished in double figures, led by Sienna Betts, who recorded 15 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field. Donovyn Hunter added 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting and tied for the team lead with four assists.
The Mountain Hawks opened their season with a strong first quarter against the defending national champions, matching UCLA point for point. Lehigh and the Bruins were tied at 17-17 after the opening 10 minutes. Ryann Jennings and Olivia Fleming each knocked down a 3-pointer in the final minute of the quarter, helping Lehigh close the frame with back-to-back triples and carry momentum into the second.
Fleming drills her first career👌#WE I #ShareItAndShotIt 📺BIG+ https://t.co/8KhryZM32U
— Lehigh Women’s Basketball (@LehighWBB) November 2, 2026
Lehigh carried that momentum into the second quarter, as Jennings connected on another 3-pointer to give the Mountain Hawks a 20-17 advantage. UCLA responded with a run of its own, regaining the lead and taking a 32-27 advantage into halftime. The Bruins outscored Lehigh 15-10 in the second quarter to take a five-point lead into the break.
Ryann Jennings drains her second triple, and Lehigh’s fourth of the game! The Mountain Hawks lead by three! 💥#WE I #ShareItAndShotIt 📺BIG+ https://t.co/f1RN9UnoLy
— Lehigh Women’s Basketball (@LehighWBB) November 2, 2026
UCLA extended its lead in the third quarter, outscoring Lehigh 23-9 to take control of the game. The Bruins shot 66.7% from the field in the period, building a 55-36 advantage heading into the final quarter. Edwards provided a spark for the Mountain Hawks, scoring five points in the frame.
Lehigh continued to compete in the fourth quarter, recording its highest-scoring period of the game with 17 points while shooting 60% from the field. Jennings knocked down another 3-pointer, while Lovette added a pair of triples. However, UCLA maintained its lead throughout the final 10 minutes, holding off the Mountain Hawks for a 73-53 victory.
“We are proud of the way this team competed,” said head coach Addie Micir. “Would we like to have that third quarter back? Absolutely. But our ability to regroup, dig back in and compete in the fourth quarter is something we can take away from this game. We stayed connected, shared the ball, knocked down shots and continued to battle until the final buzzer.”
Up Next
Lehigh returns to action Friday, traveling to Long Branch, New Jersey, to take on Monmouth at 6 p.m. The Mountain Hawks will then return home for their home opener next Wednesday, Nov. 11, against Mount St. Mary’s at 6 p.m. inside Stabler Arena.
