GORHAM, Maine – Senior Ella Ramonas (Portland, Maine/Deering) scored seven of her game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter as the University of Southern Maine Huskies surged past the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs 68-55 in a Little East Conference women's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Fifield Court.

The win is the third straight for the Huskies who improve 9-6 overall and 4-1 in the Little East.  UMass Dartmouth drops its second consecutive game in conference action to stand at 9-5 overall and 1-4 in the LEC.

Ramonas was 7-for-15 from the field en route to her 19 points, including a pair of three-pointers.  She added five rebounds, four assists and four steals.  Freshman Alexa Srolovitz (Montreal, Quebec/New Hampton) added 13 points, five rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals.  Sophomore Kayla Stacy (Auburn, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) and senior Megan Pelletier (Winslow, Maine/Messalonskee) each scored eight points.  Pelletier set a career-high with seven blocked shots.  Sophomore Miranda Nicely (Farmington, Maine/Mt. Blue) had a solid game off of the bench chipping in with seven points.

Senior Beth Castantini (Newburyport, Mass.) and freshman Nakira Examond (New Bedford, Mass.) each scored 11 points to lead the Corsairs.  Castantini and Examond each turned in double-doubles grabbing 12 and 11 rebounds respectively.  Senior Colleen Kane (Arlington, Mass.) added 10 points and five rebounds, while junior Megan Ronaghan (North Attleboro, Mass.) had nine points and three rebounds before fouling out.   

In a nip and tuck first three quarters, the Huskies and the Corsairs headed into the fourth quarter tied up at 48.  Castantini, who hit the game-tying jumper to close out the third, put the Corsairs ahead 50-48 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, but Southern Maine responded with 14-0 run to seize control of the game. 

Pelletier started the run with a nice move in the paint for two points, and senior Gretchen Anderson (Kittery Point, Maine/St. Thomas Aquinas) made it a quick five points on a three after a drive and dish from Ramonas.  Following another Pelletier layup, again on an assist from Ramonas, Ramonas scored the next seven points of the game to put USM ahead 62-50 with 2:50 remaining in the game.

Ronaghan and Examond combined for the next five points to trim the UMD deficit to 62-55, with 1:10 to go, but USM closed out the game on the free throw line making 6-of-8 down the stretch for the win.

Southern Maine remains in Little East Conference action on Wednesday (5:30 p.m.) at UMass Boston.  UMass Dartmouth hosts Colby College on Monday (6:00 p.m.) in a non-conference game.

–cac–