America East Player of the Year Heather Ernest totalled game highs of 20 points and 15 rebounds, and the University of Maine (24-4) advanced to the second round of the Friendship Cottage Cheese America East Championship with a 71-51 win over the University of Hartford (7-21). Maine set a new school record with its 20th consecutive win and remained undefeated against America East opponents this season.
The Black Bears were clinging to a 30-29 lead early in the second half before a 14-3 run stretched the margin to 44-32 midway through the half. Ernest scored six of her 14 second-half points during the run, and Hartford never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way. Maine then put the game out of reach with an 11-3 run to stretch the lead to 59-41 with under four minutes left.
Ernest was one of four Black Bears in double figures for the game. Sophomore forward Monica Peterson tallied 14 points and seven rebounds, and junior forward Julie Veilleux also had 14 points. Sophomore guard Kim Corbitt added 11 points and a game-high seven assists. Maine maintained a 46-29 rebounding edge and held the Hawks to 33 percent shooting.
Senior guards Dorcas Miller and Cheri Eleazer led Hartford with 12 points apiece.
Maine built a 22-12 lead early in the game, but Hartford closed the half on a 14-4 run, scoring the last eight points of the first half to head into intermission with the score knotted at 26-26. Miller hit back-to-back three-pointers to start the run.
The Black Bears advance to the second round and will play in the first semifinal at 6:06 p.m. Friday against the winner of the fourth quarterfinal between #4 New Hampshire and #5 Stony Brook.
VISITORS: #8 Hartford 7-21, 5-11 AE
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
No. N A M E FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
04 Clark, Jessica * 1-4 0-0 0-0 1 2 3 2 2 0 2 1 0 23
12 Messam, Erika * 3-5 1-1 1-2 1 3 4 0 8 6 3 0 1 32
20 Pezzetta, Angie * 2-8 0-2 0-0 0 5 5 0 4 3 3 3 0 34
32 Eleazer, Cheri * 2-10 0-1 8-10 0 4 4 4 12 1 0 0 0 31
44 Stich, Liz * 1-5 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 1 2 0 2 0 0 24
22 Miller, Dorcas 4-11 2-5 2-3 0 4 4 0 12 1 2 0 0 27
24 Murray, Bridget 1-2 1-2 0-0 0 1 1 1 3 0 1 0 0 8
34 Whalen, Anne 2-4 1-2 3-4 0 1 1 5 8 0 0 1 0 21
TEAM ........................................ 1 4 5 2
TOTALS 16-49 5-13 14-19 3 26 29 13 51 11 15 5 1 200
TOT-FG 1stH: 8-28 28.6% 2ndH: 8-21 38.1% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 32.7% Deadbl
3pt-FG 1stH: 4-7 57.1% 2ndH: 1-6 16.7% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 38.5% Rebs
FThrow 1stH: 6-8 75.0% 2ndH: 8-11 72.7% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 73.7% 4
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HOME TEAM: #1 Maine 24-4, 16-0 AE
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
No. N A M E FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
01 Heon, Melissa * 1-12 0-4 0-0 0 4 4 3 2 6 3 0 4 37
11 Ernest, Heather * 7-12 0-0 6-8 7 8 15 3 20 1 1 1 0 28
15 Jay, Nicole * 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 8
22 Corbitt, Kim * 5-11 0-0 1-2 1 2 3 2 11 7 2 0 2 38
23 Veilleux, Julie * 7-16 0-3 0-0 2 5 7 1 14 1 2 0 0 29
05 Traversi, Missy 3-4 1-2 1-1 0 0 0 1 8 0 0 0 0 13
30 Geraghty, Ellen 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3
54 Peterson, Monica 5-10 0-0 4-4 3 4 7 2 14 2 0 0 1 31
55 Schrader, Abby 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 4 4 2 2 0 0 0 0 13
TEAM ........................................ 1 3 4 1
TOTALS 29-68 1-9 12-15 15 31 46 15 71 17 11 2 7 200
TOT-FG 1stH: 13-31 41.9% 2ndH: 16-37 43.2% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 42.6% Deadbl
3pt-FG 1stH: 0-5 00.0% 2ndH: 1-4 25.0% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 11.1% Rebs
FThrow 1stH: 0-0 00.0% 2ndH: 12-15 80.0% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 80.0% 1
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OFFICIALS: John Palermo, Denise Brooks Clauser, Pam Wine
TECHNICAL FOULS:
#8 Hartford - none
#1 Maine - none
ATTENDANCE: TBA
SCORE BY PERIODS: 1st 2nd OT1 OT2 OT3 OT4 TOTAL
#8 Hartford 26 25 51
#1 Maine 26 45 71
PTS IN THE PAINT: #8 Hartford - 16 #1 Maine - 38
PTS OFF TURNOVERS: #8 Hartford - 08 #1 Maine - 22
2ND CHANCE POINTS: #8 Hartford - 00 #1 Maine - 19
FAST BREAK POINTS: #8 Hartford - 06 #1 Maine - 14
2003 Friendship Cottage Cheese America East Championship
Quarterfinal #3...Maine advances to Friday's first semifinal (6 p.m.)