BIDDEFORD, Maine – Using a 22-9 run over the final 8:40 of the contest, the University of New England women's basketball team pulled away from Wentworth Institute of Technology, 60-42, in a Commonwealth Coast Conference contest played at the Harold Alfond Forum.
With the win the Nor'Easters improve to 16-4 overall and 12-1 in conference play while the Leopards fall to 5-15 overall and 3-10 in the CCC.
Senior Kelly Coleman (Portland, Conn.) led all scorers with 17 points to pace the Nor'easters. She was 7 of 12 from the floor and grabbed a game-best nine rebounds. Sophomore Alicia Brown (Greenland, N.H.) contributed 15 points and seven caroms for UNE as she made 7 of 10 shots from the floor. Junior Meghan Gribbin (Windham, Maine) chipped in nine points and eight assists.
For Wentworth, freshman Riselly Deoleo (Manchester, N.H.) posted team highs with 16 points, eight boards, five steals and four assists. Junior Rachael Camara (Fall River, Mass.) added eight points and five rebounds.
After Coleman scored the first four points for UNE, the Leopards matched that output for their lone tie of the evening. The Nor'easters would go on a 9-1 run to grab a 13-5 lead 5:56 into the contest and led 28-21 at the break. Coleman tallied 11 points in the first half for the Nor'Easters, who limited Wentworth to 33.3 percent (9 of 27) shooting over the first 20 minutes.
Junior Lauren Hayden (Chantilly, Va.) scored five consecutive points out of the locker room to push UNE's lead to 12 (33-21), however Wentworth would score 12 of the next 17 points to get within five (38-33) with just under nine minutes remaining. During the spurt, sophomore Kellie Messer (Hollis, N.H.) and Deoleo each scored four points while Camara's layup with 8:40 left brought the deficit to five.
Layups by Coleman and Brown were sandwiched around three-pointers from junior guard Michaela Flanagan (Plymouth, Mass.) and Gribbin to put the Nor'easters on top by 15 (48-33) and put the game out of reach.
UNE outrebounded the visitors by a 43-32 margin while recording 19 assists on its 25 field goals.
Each team returns to action Saturday with 1:00 conference tilts. Wentworth hosts Eastern Nazarene College, while the Nor'easters head to Salve Regina University.
(Portions of this recap courtesy of UNE Sports Information)
