WATERVILLE, Maine – Thomas College entered the fourth quarter clinging to a 51-49 lead but outscored the University of Maine at Farmington 21-11 in the final period to close out the Beavers, 72-60, in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) season opener for both teams.
The Records:
Farmington dropped to 2-6 through its first eight games of the season. Thomas entered the game 0-7, in search of its first win.
How It Happened:
The first 30 minutes of play were highly competitive, with intense, back-and-forth action, as neither team led by more than seven points.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first quarter, combining to shoot just 8-for-41 from the floor. The Terriers held a slim 12-10 lead at the end of the period.
Midway through the second quarter, Sky Kubwalo hit a three-pointer to give Thomas a four-point lead, their largest of the first half. However, a quick 6-0 run, led by Jessica Dow (Saco, Maine) and Jaydn Pingree (Jay, Maine), gave the Beavers a 24-22 advantage – their first lead of the game – with just under four minutes to play in the opening half. Thomas closed the half on a 7-1 run as the Beavers went cold, missing four straight shots from the field and five of six free throws.
Both offenses began to open up in the third quarter. Elena Alderman drained a deep three to give Thomas a 32-25 lead to start the half. Sophomore guard Melissa Mayo (Bridgton, Maine) answered with a three of her own, and the back-and-forth battle continued.
Dow led the Beavers offensively in the third quarter, aggressively driving to the rim and getting to the free-throw line. She scored nine points in the quarter, helping the Beavers pull within two heading into the fourth.
After a Sarah Poli (Benton, Maine) layup on the opening possession of the fourth quarter for Farmington, Thomas went on a 16-1 run to take a 67-52 lead. Kubwalo hit a big three-pointer and scored seven points during the Terriers' surge.
Farmington cut the lead back to single digits after consecutive threes from Grace Dwyer (Manchester, Maine) and Ruby McMinis (Wells, Maine), but they were unable to get any closer than nine, dropping their first conference game of the season.
Stats of the Game:
Farmington struggled with its shooting, finishing at 28.3% (17-for-60) from the floor, 26.3% (5-of-19) from beyond the arc, and 61.8% (21-for-34) from the free-throw line. Thomas shot 38.6% (27-for-70) from the field, 33.3% (5-for-15) from three, and 72.2% (13-for-18) from the free-throw line. The Terriers dominated on the boards, holding a 52-40 edge and grabbing 17 offensive rebounds that led to 10 second-chance points.
Leaders – Farmington:
- Dow led the Beavers with a team-high 18 points, shooting 4-for-12 from the field. She also added four rebounds.
- Pingree contributed 13 points, six rebounds, and two assists in 27 minutes off the bench.
- Mayo chipped in 10 points, hitting three three-pointers, and grabbed five rebounds.
Leaders – Thomas:
- Elena Alderman led the Terriers with a game-high 22 points, shooting 9-of-18 from the field. She also recorded seven rebounds and two steals.
- Kubwalo finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
- Pryelle Kesse-Beda added 10 points and nine rebounds.
Up Next:
The Beavers travel to Castine on Saturday afternoon for a road contest against the defending NAC Champion Mariners of Maine Maritime. Tip-off is set for 1:00 PM.
