BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore Lauren Hayden's (Chantilly, Va.) basket with 2:24 left in overtime gave the University of New England women's basketball team a 55-54 lead as the Nor'Easters, ranked 25th in Division III, defeated Wentworth Institute of Technology, 61-54, in Commonwealth Coast Conference action.
With the win, UNE ran its win streak to six and improved to 18-2 overall and 12-1 in CCC play while the Leopards fall to 7-12 (4-9).
Both teams would start the game going a combined 1-for-17 from the floor and the hosts kept the Nor'Easters without a field goal for the first 7:06 while building a 6-1 lead. A basket by freshman Brooke Flaherty (Portland, Maine) and a 3-pointer from senior Megan DeRaps (Richmond, Maine) tied the score at 6-all with 11:24 to play in the half.
An 8-2 spurt, capped off by a 3-pointer from sophomore Megan McLaughlin (Southington, Conn.), gave the Black & Gold a 16-10 lead before the Nor'Easters scored the next seven points – with Hayden scoring five – to take a 17-16 lead. The lead changed hands three more times before a junior Kelly Coleman (Portland, Conn.) layup gave the Nor'Easters a 21-20 lead with 2:29 left and would lead 27-22 at the break.
UNE opened the second half by outscoring Wentworth, 10-4, over the first 9:10 to take a 37-26 lead. Two free throws by Rogers brought the lead back to single digits before six straight points by UNE gave the Nor'Easters their largest lead (43-28) with 8:16 left in regulation.
Wentworth outscored UNE 14-2 and over the next 7:43 and came within three on a pair of Rogers free throws. Vose would hit three of four free throws to put the visitors ahead by six with 18 seconds left.
Rogers would hit a jumper with 11 seconds left, and, on the ensuing inbounds pass, the Nor'Easters turned it over where sophomore Rachael Camara (Fall River, Mass.) would score to make it a two-point game. A five-second violation gave the Leopards the ball back and Rogers' shot with four seconds left tied the game. UNE had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but turned the ball over just before time expired.
In the extra session, UNE was 3-for-3 from the floor and 7-8 from the line – including hitting four straight down the stretch to seal the win. Vose opened the period with a layup before Rogers tied the game with a pair of free throws.
Coleman and Camara traded pairs of free throws to keep the game tied at 52-all before Coleman gave the Nor'Easters a 53-52 lead with one of two free throws with 2:53 left. Rogers responded on the next possession to give the Leopards a 54-53 lead before Hayden's layup 16 seconds later gave UNE the lead for good.
Hayden finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and three steals while added 11 points and nine rebounds. DeRaps finished with 10 points and three assists.
Rogers led Wentworth with 16 points to go along with nine rebounds. Senior Kendra Kerr (Marshfield, Mass.) and Camara each scored 10 and had six and eight rebounds respectively. Kerr also had four steals.
Both teams return to action on Saturday as the Nor'Easters host Salve Regina and the Leopards are at Eastern Nazarene.
