Gulls Battle Nor'easters to Final Minutes, Fall 66-57

BIDDEFORD, Maine – Endicott got 18 points from Samantha Crough (Cohasset, Mass.) and stayed with Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) leaders University of New England for much of the game, but the Nor'easters emerged with a 66-57 victory in women's basketball action on Tuesday night at Harold Alfond Forum.

Endicott falls to 13-10 on the year and sees their CCC record drop to 9-7, while the Nor'easters (19-4) stay perfect in conference play at 16-0 and stretch their winning streak to 16 games.

Crough led all scorers in a game in which seven players posted double-digit point totals. She also grabbed six rebounds and registered three assists and three blocked shots for Endicott, who shot 40% for the game.

Junior Jennifer White (Lisbon, N.H.) netted 10 points, grabbed seven caroms, handed out six assists and added a pair of blocked shots for the Gulls.

The hosts fired a touch under 40% as well, and were led by double-doubles from senior Beth Suggs (Bath, Maine) and sophomore Kelly Coleman (Portland, Conn.). 

Suggs scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds (six on the offensive end) for her 14th double-double of the year, and Coleman totaled 10 points, 11 caroms for her seventh. 

UNE also received 10 points apiece from first-year guards Lauren Hayden (Chantilly, Va.) and Sadie DiPierro (South Portland, Maine). Hayden added four of Big Blue's 15 steals. 

The Gulls trailed by just a point at the break, 27-26, and the contest remained close the rest of the way.

Suggs and DiPierro had back-to-back conversions in the paint, then first-year Alanna Vose (Cushing, Maine) followed with a fastbreak trey to forge a 38-34 Big Blue advantage with 13:43 on the clock. 

The teams would trade baskets over the ensuing eight minutes. With UNE leading by four (52-48) and just under six minutes on the clock, the Nor'easters again tallied seven consecutive points to put the game away. A free throw by Hayden was followed by a layup and a pair of freebies by Suggs pushed Big Blue's bulge to nine (57-48) with 3:28 remaining, and Endicott failed to get any closer than seven the rest of the way. 

The first half featured two ties and seven lead changes. Each team struggled taking care of the basketball in the opening frame, combining for 24 turnovers. 

Endicott junior Jordan Ferland (Charlestown, N.H.) added eight points and four rebounds off the bench, though the Gulls were outrebounded 46-33.

The Gulls close out their regular season with a pair of home games, beginning on Thursday when they host Curry College in a make-up of Saturday's snowed out game.

UNE will finish their schedule with two games on the road, starting on Thursday night when they travel to Nichols for a 5:30 start.