Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Forward Emma Pasquale '09 (Eliot, Maine) scored a team-high 20 points, including a key lay-up with 12 seconds left, to give the Colby-Sawyer College Chargers a hard-fought 72-69 victory over the University of New England Nor'easters in a women's college basketball game Saturday afternoon at the Campus Center.

The victory enables Colby-Sawyer (15-7) to grab sole possession of fourth place in The Commonwealth Coast Conference standings with a league record of 8-3.  The Nor'easters (12-11) drop into a tie for sixth place with a 6-5 conference mark.

Trailing by seven (47-40) with 17:34 to play, the Chargers went on a 9-4 run over the next 3:09 to get within two.  Four different players scored for Colby-Sawyer during the spurt, which was capped by a 3-pointer from Kate Racz '09 (Worthington, Mass.).

UNE would stem the tide and found itself leading by six (66-60) after a jump shot by #Katie Diggins# '10 (Merrimack, N.H.) with just under 10 minutes remaining.

The Chargers fought back, using a lay-up by Pasquale and a 3-pointer by Kali Coleman '09 (Portsmouth, N.H.) to close within one (66-65). 

Both teams would then find themselves in a three-minute scoring drought until Diggins made 1 of 2 at the line.  Charger guard/forward Noelle Surette '08 (Buxton, Maine) then drew the game even (67-67) on a jumper with 3:36 to play.  After a UNE turnover, Pasquale was fouled and made 1 of 2 at the charity stripe to give Colby-Sawyer the lead for good.

Another Pasquale bucket gave the visitors a 70-67 advantage with 1:18 remaining.  UNE's #Alli Gamache# '09 (Dudley, Mass.) nailed a pull-up jumper to help the Nor'easters close within one with 38 seconds to play.

After a Colby-Sawyer timeout, the Chargers were able to work the shot clock down before Pasquale converted with the left hand from close range to provide the final margin.  UNE would get one shot at tying it, but a 3-point attempt was off the mark.

Pasquale posted a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.  She was 9 of 13 from the floor.  Surette also added a double-double, recording 16 points and 11 boards.  Ellen Naughton '09 (Reading, Mass.) chipped in 11 points, including three 3-point field goals.  The Chargers made 11 shots from beyond the arc for the game.

Diggins registered her fourth consecutive double-double with 20 points and 11 caroms.  #Sara Pelkey# '09 (Barre, Vt.) added 13 points and nine rebounds.

The first half was tight the entire way, featuring six ties and eight lead changes.  The Nor'easters led 39-35 after 20 minutes.  UNE came up with 11 offensive boards before the break in building its four-point cushion.

Both teams return to play Wednesday (Feb. 20).  The Chargers head to Boston to take on Wentworth Institute of Technology (5:30 p.m.), while the Nor'easters will be looking to secure a playoff berth when they host Gordon College (6:00 p.m.).

(posted Feb. 16, 2008 | 18:29 ET)