Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Junior Meghan Gribbin (Windham, Maine) converted the game-tying shot and junior Allana Vose (Cushing, Maine/Medomak Valley) hit a pivotal three-pointer in overtime as the No. 16/22 University of New England Nor'easters escaped with a 77-73 overtime win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies Wednesday night at Hill Gymnasium in a non-conference women's basketball tilt.
UNE improves to 2-1 with the win. Southern Maine, in the also receiving votes category for both the D3hoops.com and WBCA Coaches' poll, suffers its first loss of the season to stand at 2-1.
Down by 10, 60-50, with less than eight minutes in regulation, Southern Maine rallied with a 14-3 run over a five minutes span to take a slim 64-63 lead with 2:49 to play, forcing an thrilling final minutes in a see-saw battle of a game. Five different players scored for USM in the rally capped by a traditional three-point play from senior Taylor Flood (Sanford, Maine). After Flood's hoop and the hard, both teams traded the lead in the final two minutes. Southern Maine led 69-67 with 11 seconds to play after one of two free throws from senior Stephanie Gallagher (York, Maine), before Gribbin sped her way to a jumper in the paint.
In the overtime period, Southern Maine held the narrowest of leads 73-72 with 1:56 to play on a pair of free throws from junior Megan Pelletier (Winslow, Maine/Messalonskee), before Vose gave her team the lead for good with a dagger of a three for a 75-73 lead. Prior to the big shot, Vose was 2-for-12 from the field and 0-for-5 from three-point range. The Huskies' had a pair of good looks at the basket with the ball rimming in and out in the closing moments and UNE hit just enough free throws to get the win.
Pelletier led Southern Maine with 22 points on 9-for-12 shooting as four Huskies scored in double figures. She added eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Senior guard Lauren Rousseau (Biddeford, Maine) had 15 points and six assists and classmate Rebecca Knight (Alfred, Maine/McAuley) had a strong double-double with 12 points, a career-high 14 rebounds and four assists. Junior Ella Ramonas (Portland, Maine/Deering) added 10 points and seven boards.
Junior guard Sadie DiPierro (South Portland, Maine/McAuley) was 6-for-9 from three-point territory for 22 points to lead UNE. Sophomore Alicia Brown (Greenland, N.H./Portsmouth) added 15 points and five rebounds, while senior Kelly Coleman (Portland, Conn.) tossed in 14 points. Gribbin finished the game with nine points and a game-high eight assists, while Vose had seven points, five rebounds and four assists.
Southern Maine travels to Bates on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.) for a non-conference game. UNE hosts Bowdoin College on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.).
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