Junior forward Anna Olson scored eight of her 11 points in the fourth quarter Wednesday night to guide the streaking University of Vermont Catamounts to a 68-60 victory over the University of Maine Black Bears.
Vermont has now won nine in a row and improved to 17-6 overall and 9-2 in America East.
It was just the third time in UMaine head coach Amy Vachon’s six-year career that she suffered back-to-back America East road losses.
UMaine, which lost to the University of Maryland Baltimore County 74-57 on Saturday, fell to 12-11 and 8-3, respectively.
UMaine was again without reigning America East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Anne Simon, who continues to nurse a high ankle sprain that has sidelined her for a total of 13 games.
Senior guard Emma Utterback paced UVM with 17 points and three rebounds. Sophomore guard Catherine Gilwee had 11 points, including a 7-for-8 showing from the free throw line, seven assists and three rebounds.
Olson, whose 21 points led the University of Vermont to a 61-52 win over the University of Maine in Orono on Jan. 18, had eight rebounds and two blocked shots to accompany her 11 points. Senior forward Delaney Richason contributed 10 points, seven rebounds, three blocked shots and three assists.
Sophomore forward Adi Smith continued her outstanding season for the Black Bears with her 13th double-double, as she scored 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, both game-highs. She also had three assists.
Sophomore guard Paula Gallego was the only other Black Bear in double figures with 11 points, along with four rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals.
Smith (11-for-25) and Gallego (5-for-11) shot a combined 16 for 36 from the floor, but the rest of the team shot just 5-for-21.
Caroline Bornemann contributed six points and seven rebounds, and Olivia Rockwood had six points.
Vermont shot an impressive 51 percent from the floor combined with UMaine’s 36.8 percent. The Catamounts had an edge in points in the paint (38-28), points off turnovers (12-4), bench points (13-2) and fast break points (4-0).
Vermont scored the game’s first six points and never trailed in the contest.
The Catamounts led 19-7 after the first period, 31-24 at the half and 46-38 after three quarters.
But the Black Bears rallied in the fourth to tie it.
UMaine used a 12-4 spurt to start the fourth quarter and draw level at 50-50 with 5:01 left in the game.
Smith, Bornemann and Sera Hodgson each had four points during the run.
Gilwee hit a free throw to regain the lead for Vermont, and Olson rebounded Gilwee’s missed second free throw and eventually scored inside off a Carla Celaya pass to make it 53-50 with 4:26 left.
Each team missed a layup before Olson converted inside to extend UVM’s lead to 55-50.
Smith and Gilwee swapped a pair of free throws before Smith hit a layup with 2:41 remaining to make it 57-54.
Gilwee corralled an offensive rebound and, five seconds later, sank a pair of free throws before Smith scored inside.
Two more Gilwee foul shots with 2:34 left brought the game to 59-54.
Following a Smith free throw, Utterback connected on a traditional 3-point play with 2:01 on the clock to expand the lead to 62-55.
A Rockwood free throw and Smith basket pulled UMaine within four, but Olson grabbed the rebound of a Gilwee 3-point miss, was fouled and sank both foul shots to make it 64-58 with 1:15 left. Gilwee added two more free throws 35 seconds later to sew up the win.
Up next: UMaine will host the New Jersey Institute of Technology at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Memorial Gym in Orono, while Vermont will entertain UMass Lowell.
