BIDDEFORD, Maine – The Nichols College women's basketball team fell into an early hole and never recovered as the University of New England defeated the Bison, 85-57, on Thursday night in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action in Biddeford, Maine.
 
The Bison dip to 3-17 overall and 1-12 in the CCC, while UNE improves to 15-5 and 11-2 in league games. The two teams will meet again on Saturday afternoon at the Nichols Athletic Center at 1:00 p.m.
 
UNE jumped out to an early 13-0 lead in the opening quarter before freshman Isabella Nerney knocked down a jumper for the Bison's first basket of the game. Nerney sandwiched three-pointers around a basket from freshman Desiree Rivera to trim the deficit to 17-10, and a triple from freshman Shannon St. Lawrence made it a 19-13 game with 2:23 to play in the opening period.
 
The Nor'easters would use a 10-2 run to end the first quarter and take a 31-15 lead into the second stanza.
 
Four-straight points from senior Allison Cerrato kept the Bison within 36-21, but UNE would eventually hold a 47-28 lead at the half.
 
Cerrato opened the third quarter with a layup, and another score inside at the 2:02 mark made it a 68-38 deficit.  The Bison trailed 75-47 in the fourth quarter following a layup from junior Callie Andrews, but they would only get as close as 83-57 after another score from Rivera with just over a minute to play in regulation.
 
Nerney led the Bison with an all-around game of 18 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Cerrato joined her in double-figures with 15 points and a pair of assists. Desiree Rivera scored a career-high nine points to go with three rebounds, with Shannon St. Lawrence adding six points and seven rebounds. Junior Mekaela Fithian-Giantonio recorded five points, four rebounds, four assists, and a pair of steals.
 
Four players reached double-figures for the Nor'easters led by a double-double of 19 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, and five steals from senior Olivia Shaw. Sophomores Sadie Nelson and Jocelyn Chaput added 15 points apiece, with senior Sam MacDonald scoring 12 points.
 
Nichols shot an efficient 40.8% (20-of-49) from the field, including 37.5% (6-of-16) of its three-pointers and 61.1% (11-of-18) of its free throws. UNE shot 40.5% (34-of-84) from the floor, 23.5% (7-of-30) from beyond the arc, and 76.9% (10-of-13) at the charity stripe. The Nor'easters controlled the glass, 52-28, and forced 24 Bison turnovers, while committing only 10 of their own.
 
All-Time Series
Thursday night marked the 28th meeting between the two programs and the Nor'easters lead the all-time series, 23-5.