Box Score Waterville, Maine – The Thomas College women's basketball fell 78-74 to the University of Maine at Farmington in a North Atlantic Conference match-up Saturday afternoon. Senior Karin Bird scored a game high 26 points for the host team, while Kenni Norton tallied a team high 22 points for the visiting Beavers.
With the loss the Terriers fall to 2-11 (2-6 NAC) on the season, while the UMF Beavers improve to 4-8 (3-4 NAC).
The first half was saw six lead changes before the Beavers took control of the half with a Rachel Clement three pointer giving the visitors a 26-23 lead with 8:47 remaining. UMF continued to control the scoring and took a 44-37 lead into the break.
The second half looked as if the Beavers would be able to cost in for the win as the Terriers struggled with turnovers resulting in 16 second half points for the Beavers. But with 10:04 remaining in the game a Jasmine Bishop layup started a 17-4 Thomas run that was capped by a Lindsay Fry three pointer with 6:03 remaining tying the game 63-63.
Norton ended the Terriers run with a three point play giving the lead back to the Beavers with 5:20 left. A Bird layup with 2:13 remaining got the Terriers within three (72-69) of UMF, and after a Bishop steal Fry tied things up again with a three. With less than a minute left in the game Thomas' Cassie Manning immediately fouled UMF's Holly Oliver. Oliver went 1-1 from the line giving the Beavers a one point lead with 55 seconds left on the clock. Elizabeth Goodall snagged the second of Oliver's shots and moved the ball up court, but a layup missed by Bird gave the ball right back to UMF after an Oliver rebound. With 40 seconds left Kate Thibodeau fouled Oliver sending her back to the line; this time she made both shots pushing the score to 75-72. After a Terriers timeout Goodall made an attempt to tie things back up but couldn't send the ball through as Thibodeau gabbed the offensive rebound and brought the Terriers within one point after a layup with 12 second left. Fouls by Fry and Thibodeau sent Norton to the line twice for UMF as the Beavers finished the game off 78-74.
The Terriers will take on the University of Maine at Fort Kent tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. in a non-conference match-up. UMF will travel to Bowdoin on Tuesday for a 7:00 p.m. non-conference tipoff.
