BIDDEFORD, Maine – Four players scored in double figures, including junior Alanna Vose (Cushing, Maine), who scored 24, as the top-seeded University of New England women's basketball team advanced to the semifinal round of the 2015 Commonwealth Coast Conference Women's Basketball Tournament with a 79-45 win over eighth-seeded Wentworth Institute of Technology.
With the win the defending conference champion Nor'Easters improve to 21-5 and will host fourth-seeded Western New England in one semifinal on Thursday night. The Leopards see their two-game win streak come to an end and conclude the season with a 7-19 mark.
Junior Sadie DiPierro (South Portland, Maine) gave the hosts the early lead which was quickly countered with a basket from freshman Riselly Deoleo (Manchester, N.H.) to even the score. UNE built its lead to four on a pair of occasions, but a three-pointer from Deoleo would trim the lead to one with 15:00 left.
UNE outscored Wentworth 9-2 over the next five minutes and led 19-11 after a jumper from sophomore Alicia Brown (Greenland, N.H.). Wentworth closed the gap to five (21-16) on a three-pointer from junior Rachael Camara (Fall River, Mass.) with 7:51 left, however were outscored 21-5 during the remainder of the half and trailed, 42-21, at the break.
The Nor'Easters opened the second half on an 11-2 run and led by 29 with 14:31 remaining and Wentworth was unable to get back within striking distance.
Vose was 7-for-14 from the floor, which included going 6-for-10 from behind the arc. She also grabbed six rebounds and had three steals. Brown (16 points, nine rebounds), DiPierro (15 points, eight rebounds, four steals), and senior Kelly Coleman (13 points, eight rebounds) also scored in double figures.
Deoleo had 17 points, nine rebounds, and three steals while Camara scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Junior Carly Rogers (Scarborough, Maine) had nine points, seven rebounds, and blocked five shots.
