Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Sophomore forward Colleen Sweeney (Danbury, Conn.) scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures as the nationally-ranked Bowdoin College women's basketball team defeated the University of New England, 75-53, in a non-conference game Tuesday evening at the Campus Center.

The Polar Bears, rated 15th in the most recent D3Hoops.com national poll, improved to 2-1 on the young season, while the Nor'easters fell to 2-3.

Bowdoin got off to a strong start, scoring the opening 12 points.  Senior point guard Maria Noucas (Portsmouth, N.H.) made two jumpers and sophomore guard Katie Bergeron (Bradley, Maine) nailed a pair of three-pointers.  Senior forward Jill Anelauskas (Medfield, Mass.) capped the surge with a bucket from close range.

After the Polar Bears increased their lead to 15 (21-6) on a Sweeney lay-up halfway through the period, the Nor'easters responded by putting together a 11-2 run over the next 4:52 to get within six at 23-17.  Senior guard Alli Gamache (Dudley, Mass.) tallied eight points - including a pair of three-pointers - to get UNE back in the game.

Bowdoin went right back to work, outscoring UNE 10-3 to take a 33-20 halftime advantage.  An aggressive Polar Bear defense held the Nor'easters to 22.6 percent (7 of 31) shooting from the floor in the first frame.

The Nor'easters were able to close to within four (43-39) by the halfway mark of the second half, but Sweeney had back-to-back baskets to cap off a 7-0 run, giving the Polar Bears a 50-39 advantage.  Bowdoin would cruise the rest of the way.

Sweeney was 7-for-8 from the floor and made all three of her free throw attempts.  Bergeron finished with 15 points, including three treys, while Noucas had 11 points and eight rebounds.  Junior forward Leah Rubega (Norwich, Conn.) contributed 10 points and 10 boards, and first-year guard Jill Henrikson (Bath, Maine) tossed in 10 points.

Gamache was the lone UNE player in double figures.  She finished with 14 points, thanks in part to four field goals from beyond the arc.  Sophomore guard Carrie Bunnell (Barnet, Vt.) came off the bench to score eight points.

Bowdoin plays its home-opener Nov. 30 when Salve Regina University heads to Morrell Gymnasium in Brunswick for a 3:00 p.m. game.  UNE returns to action Dec. 2 with a home game versus Lasell College (7:00 p.m.).