Jan 19, 2016
BEVERLY, Mass. -- Olivia Shaw and Alicia Brown went on a 12-4 run to close the 1st half with their side up five, and the University of New England held off a late charge by Endicott College for a 65-57 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's basketball triumph on Tuesday evening (Jan. 19) at MacDonald Gymnasium.
Winners of seven straight, the Nor'easters (12-3) complete the first part of the CCC schedule with a perfect 9-0 ledger, and now open up a two-game cushion ahead of the Gulls (9-7, 7-2 CCC) in the league standings.
The 2nd-quarter stretch put UNE in front for good after five lead-changes early on. Big Blue extended the 28-23 advantage to 12 by the midway mark of the 3rd frame and finished with a 47-38 padding. Sadie DiPierro had seven of her nine points in the stanza.
Brown and Shaw took over again the 4th, pushing the gap from six to 60-45 with a 9-0 spurt.
Endicott got two back on the ensuing possession, and Kelsey Cuddy scored on the next four trips (10 points) to cut the spread to 61-57 with 52 seconds remaining. However, DiPierro and Meghan Gribbin sank two free throws apiece in the waning ticks to put the game away for the Nor'easters.
Shaw totaled 18 points and a game-high nine rebounds, while making 8-of-13 from the floor. Brown went 6-for-10 shooting the ball and registered 16 points. After DiPierro's nine points with five steals, Gribbin and Brooke Flaherty each contributed eight points and Alanna Vose rounded out the UNE scoring with six.
Cuddy tallied a match-best 20 points for the hosts, and Sarah Hood added 10. Gabriella Coppola recorded eight points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
The Nor'easters will return to action on Saturday (1 p.m.) hosting Western New England University.