Juliana Tracey/Women's Basketball | University of New England
Juliana Tracey/Women's Basketball | University of New England
Gordon College scored 10 unanswered points down the stretch in the 4th quarter to break away from a tied game and held on to collect a 65-58 result against the University of New England in a key Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's basketball contest Tuesday evening (Feb. 7) at Kanas Court.
With the decision, the Fighting Scots (12-10, 10-5 CCC) level the season series versus the Nor'easters (15-7, 11-4) and draw within one game of second place with three matches remaining.
Madison Wynbeek amassed game highs of 20 points and 22 rebounds to pace the hosts, who ended with a 21-point advantage at the charity stripe (29-8), on 24 additional attempts. Ami Rivera added 13 points, 11 caroms, five steals, and four assists, while Isabella Rivera also totaled 13 points. Gordon finished on top of a 53-33 margin on the glass.
UNE received 19 points and five boards from Juliana Tracey, and Keagan Dunbar contributed 15 points with eight rebounds. Gabby Soter netted eight points to go with four assists and four rebounds, and Nora Barmashi joined her at eight points. The Nor'easters took half of their 72 shots from long distance -- making eight, to outscore GC by 18 from deep (24-6) -- but only connected on 29 percent overall.
The visitors were playing without the services of three starters from the first meeting with the Scots back in November, which UNE won in overtime.
Both squads got off to slow starts, but a 15-3 run by the Nor'easters in a span of 4:18 established a 17-9 lead late in the 1st frame. While the next seven went for Gordon, Soter and Tracey bookended a 9-1 stretch in the 2nd that made it 26-17 with 5:21 left. The next eight went for the home team, though, and neither group scored in the final 2:35 as UNE took a 26-25 edge into the half.
A Dunbar trey was good for a 31-27 cushion in the 3rd, but another string of seven straight put the Fighting Scots on top (34-31), and the difference hit five on three occasions in the minutes that followed. Tracey notched the last four of the period, however -- including a buzzer-beating elbow jumper -- to trim it to 43-42.
Soter began the 4th with two for a momentary lead (44-43), and a triple by Tracey knotted the score (47-47) with 7:09 remaining. But with 5:40 on the clock, Isabella Rivera gave her side the edge for good with four quick points -- a layup, stealing the ensuing inbounds pass, and two free throws after being fouled. Facing the 10-point deficit with 1:51 to play, UNE kept swinging and twice pulled to within four inside the final minute --on a trey from Barmashi (59-55, 0:45), and a three-pointer by Soter (62-58, 0:16). But Gordon made just enough at the line to salt things away.
The Nor'easters will aim to bounce back on Saturday with a visit to Nichols College (5-10 CCC).
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