Box Score

BRUNSWICK, Maine -- The Western Connecticut State University Colonials received 14 points from junior guard Heather Lee (Seymour, Conn.) and led from start-to-finish in a 59-41 victory over the University of New England in first round action Friday evening from the 2010 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship at Morrell Gymnasium.

WCSU (23-5) moves on to face the winner of the Bowdoin College/Baruch College matchup, taking place later this evening. The Nor'easters wrap up the season with a school-record 23 wins against six losses.

Six-foot-two center Melissa Teel (Hamden, Conn.) added nine points to the Colonials' cause. The nation's leader in blocks per game (4.9) and third-ranked rebounder (14.6) was dominant in the middle, as she corralled 19 rebounds and swatted away seven shots. In addition to her seven blocks, Teel altered numerous UNE field goal attempts in the paint.

“We did a pretty good job of limiting her touches on the offensive end,” UNE head coach Anthony Ewing said of the all-America candidate. “She doesn't come away from the basket much on the defensive end, so it's tough to keep her from getting defensive rebounds. We don't see a lot of that during the regular season – 6'2” with a wing span like hers.”

Junior Karli Serpa (Waterford, Conn.) chipped in with 11 points and six boards for the winners.

Carrie Bunnell (Barnet, Vt.) was the lone UNE player to finish in double-figures with 10 points. Sophomore Kelley Paradis (Newport, Maine) finished with eight points and eight rebounds in support.

The Colonials jumped out to an 8-0 advantage 5:35 into the contest, behind four points apiece from Lee and Teel. A pair of free throws from Paradis got the Nor'easters on the board 22 seconds later.

Both teams struggled over the ensuing 10 minutes. WCSU made just 4-of-14 field goal attempts and committed eight turnovers, while UNE coughed it up 10 times and only mustered four more freebies during the stretch.

Junior Chelsey Meszaros (North Clarendon, Vt.) finally broke through on the Nor'easters' 19th attempt from the field to make it 18-8 with 3:29 left in the first half. It would be the only basket made by UNE (4.3 percent FG) in the frame, and Big Blue trailed, 23-11, at the break.

Twice UNE trimmed the deficit to nine (24-15, 26-17) in the early moments of the second period, but that was close as the Nor'easters would get. The Colonials scored 11 of the next 13 points -- including three of their seven treys -- over a five-minute span to grab a comfortable cushion.

For the game, UNE connected on 23.6 percent (13 for 55) of its shot attempts.

“I thought we played we played hard, just not well,” Ewing said. “I think there were some nerves. Those nerves might have gone away if we had knocked down some shots early.”

“We had a great season,” reflected Paradis. “We'll know what it's like when we get back here in the future.”

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