Box Score

(story courtesy Colby College)

WATERVILLE, Maine --- Julianne Kowalski (Montville, N.J.) finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists as the Colby College women's basketball team returned to action with a 58-51 win over University of New England in non-conference play Saturday at Wadsworth Gymnasium.

The Mules, who last played on December 6, improved to 6-2 overall. University of New England dropped to 6-4 overall.

Kowalski shot 7-for-11 from the field and added a blocked shot. Alison Cappelloni (Sudbury, Mass.) also had double figures in scoring and rebounding with 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Mules. Rachael Mack (Augusta, Maine) almost finished with a double-double in scoring and rebounding with eight points and game-highs of 13 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Kowalski, Cappelloni, and Mack accounted for 36 of Colby's 58 points and pulled down 33 of the team's 53 rebounds. The Mules had a 53-32 edge in rebounding, including 16 offensive rebounds.

The Mules never trailed in the game and opened up a 32-22 lead at halftime. Colby went up 52-37 with 6:26 left in the game when Kelly Potvin (Sherborn, Mass.) nailed one of two free throws.

UNE refused to give up and went on a 12-0 run to cut the lead to 52-49 on a basket by Alli Gamache (Dudley, Mass.) with 3:51 to go. Gamache had nine of the 12 points during the run.

The Nor'easters had a chance to tie the game with a 3-point shot with 2:44 to go, but Colby's Aarika Ritchie (Lee, Maine) scored on a 3-point play moments later to put the Mules up 55-49 and break the scoring drought. Cappelloni added a jumper with 1:14 to play and hit a free throw with 44 seconds left before UNE scored a late basket for the final points.

Colby's Sam Allen (Bridgton, Maine) added seven points and four rebounds, while Meredith Aronson (Mountain Lakes, N.J.) finished with five points on 2-for-3 shooting and four rebounds.

Gamache paced UNE with 17 points, including three 3-point shots. Hillary Laferriere (Veazie, Maine) had all eight of her points in the second half, while Kari Pelletier (South Paris, Maine) had seven points and a team-best four assists.

The Nor'easters head to Bates College on Tuesday for a 5:30 contest at Alumni Gymnasium.