The Nor'easters move into the title round on Saturday (1 p.m.) and will host second-seeded Western New England University (a 73-63 winner over third-seeded Roger Williams University).

After watching a nine-point cushion early in the 3rd period disappear with a 10-0 run by the Gulls, UNE managed to take a 46-45 lead into the final 10 minutes and did not relinquish control of the scoreboard.

Both sides went scoreless for more than two and a half minutes to begin the last stanza, but then a quick seven by Big Blue made it 53-47 with 6:21 to play. Endicott responded a minute later when Kelsey Cuddy (CCC 1st Team) converted a three-point play, but that was as close as the visitors would get.

A pair of free throws by Alanna Vose (CCC 2nd Team) and a three-point play by Alicia Brown (CCC 1st Team) bumped the gap back up to eight (58-50) with 4:03 left. Though the hosts made just 6-of-12 at the charity stripe in the remaining minutes, it was still enough to hold off the Gulls, who shot just 16 percent from the field in the quarter with five turnovers.

It was the 19th consecutive win for UNE (24-3), which is ranked at No. 16 (D3hoops.com) and No. 14 (Coaches) in the two national Top 25 polls.

Brown made 8-of-10 from the floor to lead the Nor'easters, totaling 17 points, seven rebounds, five steals, and two blocks. Vose scored 13 of her 15 in the second half, and added eight boards. Sadie DiPierro tallied nine of her 10 in the 1st quarter, and registered seven rebounds. Meghan Gribbin (CCC 1st Team) put up nine points to go with seven assists.

UNE out-rebounded (40-31) and out-shot (42%-33%) the Gulls, however struggled with 18 turnovers and an 18-for-31 free throw performance.

Cuddy scored just the three in the 4th, but posted a game-highs of 25 points and nine rebounds for Endicott (16-11), while picking up three steals and three blocks. Gabriella Coppola chipped in with 10 points and Hannah Shaw (CCC 3rd Team) recorded nine along with seven boards.

The Gulls was up 5-4 in the early going after a Cuddy trey, but the Nor'easters rattled off 13 in-a-row to gain the advantage. DiPierro canned both of her three-pointers during the stretch, as well as a pair from the line. The margin settled on 25-16, with UNE at 53 percent shooting accuracy.

While Endicott hit only 4-of-14 field goals in the 2nd period, UNE coughed it up eight times and barely extended the gap to 12 before Cuddy knocked down two triples nearing intermission to bring it down to 37-31 at the midway mark.

Cuddy had six of EC's 10 unanswered over a 1:46 span in the 3rd that vaulted the Gulls ahead (43-42). After trading just one basket apiece over the ensuing five minutes, Vose drained a couple at the line with 0:02 on the clock to swing the edge back to the home squad. Endicott made half of its shots in the session, while Big Blue could only muster a 25 percent conversion rate.

Saturday's meeting with Western New England in the league final will follow two narrow regular-season contests -- UNE won on the road, 57-52, in December, and needed overtime for a 68-66 result in Biddeford on January 23.