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            DANBURY, Conn. -- Junior forward Piper Chapman (Portsmouth, R.I./The Prout School) scored a game-high 25 points to lead the third-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors to a 78-64 win over the second-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies in the second semifinal game of the Little East Conference tournament championship hosted by top-seeded Western Connecticut State University at Feldman Arena.

            With the win, Eastern Connecticut advances to play the Western Connecticut on Saturday (4:00 p.m.) in the championship game.  The top-seeded Colonials advanced to the championship game with a 77-68 win over Rhode Island College in the first semifinal game.

            The Warriors are now 20-7 overall with the win.  The Huskies are 16-10 and will await a potential postseason berth.

            Chapman, senior guard Jessica Moriarity (East Haven, Conn.) and senior forward Amanda Pierlioni (Plainville, Conn.) combined to score 63 of Eastern Connecticut's 78 points.

            Junior guard Nicole Garland (Portland, Maine/Deering) scored a career-high 22 points for the Huskies, knocking down six three-pointers.  Junior forward Courtney Cochran (Waite, Maine/Woodland) and senior guard Kaylie DeMillo (Jay, Maine) each scored 10 points for USM.  Junior guard Renee Nicholas (Sebago, Maine/Lake Region) chipped in with nine points.

            The Huskies led 32-31 at the half.  Garland scored 14 of her 22 points in the half, knocking down four three-pointers.  The Huskies held a 32-26 lead with less than two minutes in the half, but the Warriors rattled off five straight points capped by a three-point play from Chapman.  Chapman finished the half with 11 points.

            In the second half, Southern Maine opened up a 38-33 lead with 18:42 to play on layups from Cochran, Nicholas and senior forward Becky Dixon (Gardiner, Maine).  However, the Warriors rallied with 14-4 run over the next four minutes to grab a 47-42 lead with 15:10 to play.  Pierlioni hit a pair of threes, and Moriarity had a couple of baskets, in the run.

            From there, the Warriors remained in front.  The Huskies closed the gap several times, but was never able to surge past the Warriors, who led by as many as 14 points (70-56 with 2:01 to play).  Back-to-back threes from Garland in the final two minutes pulled the Huskies to within eight, 70-62, but the Warriors closed out the game by making eight of eight free throws at the foul line.