ORONO – The University of Maine’s women’s basketball team used 20 points from graduate student guard Anne Simon and a 19-3 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to beat defending America East champ and preseason favorite Vermont 60-48 at the Memorial Gym on Saturday afternoon.
UMaine, which lost twice to Vermont last season, improved to 9-7 overall and 2-0 in America East while Vermont fell to 9-7 and 1-1.
UMaine’s win ended Vermont’s 18-game America East winning streak (including playoff games).
The game was tied 33-33 when UMaine went on its decisive 19-3 run.
Junior forward Adi Smith had eight points during a 16-3 spurt to close out the third period, and Simon has six, including two layups off her own steals.
Sophomore Sarah Talon closed out the quarter converting an offensive rebound off Simon.
A Talon free throw and Paula Gallego opened the fourth quarter to build the lead to 52-36.
But the Catamounts fought back by scoring the next nine points in a span of 1:43 on two 3-pointers by sophomore guard Keira Hanson sandwiching a three from Emma Utterback.
But that was as close as UVM was to get.
Simon had 10 rebounds, six steals and four assists to go with her 20 points. Smith added 15 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Sera Hodgson had eight points and two rebounds, and Talon finished with seven points and five rebounds. Junior guard Paula Gallego chipped in with five points, five assists and four rebounds.
Hanson’s 20 points thanks to six 3-pointers and graduate student guard Utterback’s 11 paced Vermont. Hanson also had two assists while Utterback had a game-high six assists to go with three rebounds. Senior forward Anna Olson had seven points and five rebounds.
UMaine outscored UVM 38-12 in the paint and outrebounded the Catamounts 41-32.3.
Despite being without first team All-America East forward Olson for virtually the entire first half after she was sidelined for picking up two fouls in the first 2:47 of the game, the Catamounts trailed by only three at the half thanks to their six 3-pointers.
UMaine took the biggest lead of the game for either team, 29-24, with a minute to go in the first half, but a UMaine turnover led to an uncontested layup by Utterback. It was UMaine’s seventh turnover of the half.
Simon’s eight points, Smith’s six and Hodgson’s five paced the Black Bears, while Hanson’s 11 points and Utterback’s eight led UVM.
