Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England grabbed the lead for good on a three-pointer from senior Alli Gamache (Dudley, Mass.) with 1:25 remaining, then converted 7 of 8 free throw attempts in the final seconds to seal a 66-58 win over Wentworth Institute of Technology in The Commonwealth Coast Conference women's basketball action Wednesday evening at the Campus Center.

The win extends the Nor'easters winning streak to nine games, as they now stand at 15-5 overall and a perfect 8-0 in TCCC play.  Wentworth drops to 4-16 on the season, 2-6 in conference action.

Trailing 52-46 with 5:44 to play, Gamache scored five straight points to fuel a 7-0 run, giving the Nor'easters a 53-52 lead.

After an exchange of free throws, Leopard sophomore Kirsten Vallone (Avon, N.Y.) converted a conventional three-point play with 1:44 on the clock to put the visitors up by two (56-54).

Gamache knocked down her third trey of the contest on the next possession, giving UNE the lead for good at 57-56.  The Nor'easters went on to salt the game away at the free throw line.

UNE held a 37-29 halftime advantage and increased the cushion to as many as 12 (41-29) early in the second frame before Wentworth clawed its way into contention.  A 23-5 spurt over 11 minutes got the Leopards back into the contest.

Wentworth made six of its first 11 shot attempts in the opening half to gain an early 15-6 lead, while the hosts started out going 2-for-10.

The Nor'easters eventually began to hit their shots, making 12 of 20 shots to close out the half.  Conversely, the Leopards cooled off to shoot 6 of 17 the rest of the period and fall behind by eight at intermission.

Sophomore Carrie Bunnell (Barnet, Vt.) led four UNE players in double figures with 15 points.  First-year guard Kelley Paradis (Madison, Maine) added 13 points, and sophomore Chelsey Meszaros (North Clarendon, Vt.) scored 12 -- 11 in the first frame.  Gamache scored eight of her 11 in the second half.

Meszaros and first-year Hillary Laferriere (Veazie, Maine) matched each other with a game-high eight rebounds.

Vallone notched a game-high 18 points for Wentworth, which hosts Anna Maria College on Saturday.  Junior Michelle Fauci (Boxford, Mass.) played a solid all-around game, tallying 13 points, seven assists, and four steals.  Junior Jessie Coffey (Wakefield, R.I) chipped in with 11 points.

UNE finishes its four-game homestand Saturday when Roger Williams University visits Biddeford.  Tip time at the Campus Center is 1:00 p.m., and the game can be found live on the Web at http://athletics.une.edu/stream.asx