From Staff Reports

MILTON, Mass. — The University of New England shot 46 percent from the field following halftime while holding Curry College to just 29 percent, opening up a tied game on the way to a 64-47 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women’s basketball victory on Saturday afternoon at Katz Gymnasium.

UNE has not lost since December (13 outings), now standing at 18-3 overall and possessing a three-game cushion atop the league ranks at 14-0. The Nor’easters are No. 21 in the latest WBCA Coaches Top 25 Poll and receiving votes (28) in the most recent D3hoops.com Poll.

Alicia Brown led Big Blue with 22 points and seven rebounds. Meghan Gribbin and Alanna Vose added 12 points apiece; Vose, who had 10 after intermission, also grabbed eight rebounds and five steals. Brooke Flaherty contributed seven points, seven boards, and five assists. For the contest, UNE held a 48-32 advantage on the glass.

Curry (9-12, 6-8 CCC) took the largest lead of the opening 20 minutes right out of the gate (5-0), but trailed by one (16-15) at the end of the 1st quarter.

Alyssa Keeney hit a trey to start the 3rd and give the hosts a 27-24 edge before the Nor’easters began to take control. An 10-0 run put UNE in front good (34-27), however 10-for-10 on free throws over the next eight minutes kept the Colonels close (49-45) until 6:58 left in the 4th frame.

From there, the Nor’easters scored 12 unanswered – six by Brown – to stretch the lead into double digits.

Keeney totaled a team-high 11 points for Curry, and Kerry White recorded nine points and eight rebounds. Emily Irwin had eight points and eight steals.

UNE returns to Biddeford on Wednesday (5:30 p.m.) to face Endicott College (11-3 CCC).

Mens Hockey

Uomoleale leads Nor’easters to 5-4 win

Armand Uomoleale had a goal and three assists as the University of New England moved into fourth place in the New England Hockey Conference standings with a 5-4 win over Saint Anselm College on Senior Day Saturday afternoon at the Harold Alfond Forum.

UNE’s win coupled with New England College’s loss to the University of Southern Maine (4-1) pushes the Nor’easters (12-9-2, 8-7-1 NEHC) into fourth place in the conference standings and a position to control their own destiny in a bid to host a first-round playoff game. The Hawks, now winless in their last five, fell to 10-9-3 overall, 6-7-3 in NEHC action.

Ryan Quinn opened the scoring for UNE at 4:14 of the first, sweeping in a rebound of a shot by Uomoleale that was initially saved.

Uomoleale made the score 2-0 in favor of the hosts less than two minutes later with his team on the power play, re-directing a shot by Biddeford native Trevor Fleurent. Brady Fleurent, also of Biddeford, had a secondary assist.

UNE extended its advantage to 3-0 at 6:14 of the second when Blaise Healy potted a wrist shot from the left circle. Uomoleale and Dustin Walsh set-up the tally.

The Hawks sliced into their deficit with back-to-back goals in less than a two-minute span. Kevin Dazkevich put home a shot from the left face-off circle for his first goal of the season, and then Jon Pallotta followed with a wrist shot that went five-hole. Dazkevich’s goal came at 6:43 and Pallotta at 8:13.

The Nor’easters would get the momentum back shortly after when Tom Gildersleeve (SR/Pemaquid Point, Maine) scored shorthanded on a back-hander from the slot that Quinn set up.

Leading 4-2 after two frames, the Nor’easters scored what would prove to be an important marker at 4:34 of the third. Tucker Ross ripped a shot from the point that Trevor Fleurent got his stick on, making the puck change direction and go into the goal. Uomoleale had found Ross for the open shot.

Pallotta made the score 5-3 at the 7:51 mark, one-timing a pass by Trevor Kacz from the left circle.

The Hawks pulled their goaltender in favor of an extra skater with 1:44 remaining and were eventually able to capitalize when Bryan Greene scored with 13 seconds remaining.

Saint Anselm was unable to get any shots on goal the rest of the way.

Connor Maloney earned the victory in goal for UNE, stopping 28 of 32 shots. He improved his record to 6-2-1.

Shane Joyce was tagged with the setback for the Hawks. He totaled 14 saves in two periods of play before giving way to Colin Soucy, who came on to make 11 saves in the final stanza.

Saint Anselm returns to action Tuesday with a 7 p.m. home game versus Assumption College. The Nor’easters will conclude their regular season on the road, playing at Skidmore College Friday and Castleton University Saturday.