QUINCY, Mass. -- The University of New England women's basketball team opened defense of its Commonwealth Coast Conference championship by downing Eastern Nazarene College, 69-54, Wednesday evening (Dec. 4) at the Lahue Center.

The victory was the Nor'easters' 26th straight regular-season win over a conference foe. UNE (5-1, 1-0 CCC) ran the table last year (18-0) before taking their final seven regular-season contests of the 2011-12 campaign.

Seeing her first action since Nov. 16, starting point guard Meghan Gribbin scored a game-high 15 points in just 16 minutes of playing time to lead the way for UNE. Gribbin tallied 11 points after halftime to finish the game shooting 5-for-9 from the floor.

Kelly Coleman and Sadie DiPierro had 11 points apiece for Big Blue. Coleman added six rebounds and three steals, while DiPierro made three shots from beyond the arc. Alicia Brown chipped in eight points and 10 boards, and Alanna Vose scored nine points. Lauren Hayden added five of the Nor'easters' 14 steals.

Christina Saint-Pierre had 14 points and 10 rebounds to pace Eastern Nazarene (3-3, 0-1). Michelle Herrera used a trio of 3-pointers in a 13-point effort, and Ruby Leon scored 10 points.

Trailing 10-8 with just over five minutes gone in the opening half, UNE used an 13-1 run over the next five minutes to open up a 21-11 advantage. Seven different players scored during that spurt, which was capped by a DiPierro layup.

ENC would score the next five points to cuts its deficit in half, but the Nor'easters gradually lengthened their lead to assume a 39-28 cushion by halftime.

A pair of treys from DiPierro and one by Gribbin helped Big Blue start the second frame on an 11-3 run to give the visitors a 50-31 lead. The Crusaders never got closer than 13 the rest of the way.

For the game UNE forced 27 Eastern Nazarene turnovers to help overcome 33.3 percent (24 of 72) accuracy from the floor and less than 50 percent (14 of 30 -- 46.7 percent) from the free throw line.

Big Blue closes out first-semester play Saturday (Dec. 7) when Western New England University comes to Biddeford for a 1 p.m. contest.