Maine defeats Hartford 71-51

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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.)