ALFRED, N.Y. — The University of Maine at Presque Isle women’s basketball team (8-16) ended its season Saturday, Feb. 25 with a loss to the Pine Manor Gators in the opening round of the American Collegiate Athletic Association Conference Tournament.
The Gators enjoyed a scoring outburst in the second half to earn an 82-57 victory.
The Owls came out of the gates strong by jumping out to an early 7-2 lead, only to see their opponents come storming back and tie the game at 10. The Owls ended the first quarter clinging to a 14-12 lead.
Hotham
The Gators grabbed their first lead of the game just a minute into the second quarter, but UMPI regained the advantage halfway through the second quarter. A 9-2 run put Pine Manor on top by four at intermission.
Wright
Pine Manor never surrendered the lead from that point on. UMPI struggled offensively throughout the second half, while the Gators were efficient and slowly opened things up. Pine Manor held a 14-point lead at the end of the third quarter, and then went on to shoot 60 percent from the floor in the fourth, compared to a 4-of-27 effort by the Owls.
UMPI, which finished the season with an 8-16 record under first-year coach Traci Halvorson, received statistical double-doubles from Amanda Hotham, a senior from Fort Fairfield, and Rhylee Wright, a freshman from Frenchville. Hotham scored 15 points and collected 13 rebounds, while Wright netted 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
The Gators, who improved to 10-13, finished the game with all five of their starters in double digits in scoring, led by Erica Jones with 22 points.
