FARMINGTON, Maine — The University of Maine at Farmington women's basketball team got everything they could have asked for—and then some—from junior guard/forward Jessica Dow (Saco, Maine) and sophomore guard Jaydn Pingree (Jay, Maine), who combined to score 50 points as the Beavers blew past the reigning North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Champions, SUNY Cobleskill, 75-54.
The Records:
Both teams entered play with a 2-0 record, and the game marked the NAC opener for both programs. Farmington improved to 3-0 overall while the Fighting Tigers dropped to 2-1.
How it Happened:
Right from the opening tip, the game felt high-stakes, with every possession carrying weight and proving crucial to the outcome. Execution was essential, and both teams went back and forth throughout the first 20 minutes.
Neither team shot particularly well to start, and the opening half featured seven lead changes, with neither side leading by more than five. Pingree and Dow carried the offensive load in the first quarter, combining for 13 of the team's 15 points, as the Fighting Tigers held a narrow 16-15 lead after ten minutes. Hannah Bonczkowski and Kate Hadwen each hit big threes in the quarter for SUNY Cobleskill.
A pair of free throws from Pingree early in the second quarter put Farmington ahead by one, but back-to-back jumpers from Mady Victorin and a transition jumper from Hadwen gave the Fighting Tigers a 22-17 lead with just over six minutes remaining in the half.
Dow put an end to the 6-0 run, drilling a midrange jumper that sparked an 11-4 push to close the quarter and give the Beavers the edge heading into halftime. Melissa Mayo (Bridgton, Maine) hit a wild running shot in the final seconds to give Farmington a 28-26 lead at the break.
The two teams continued their physical, tightly contested battle through the first five minutes of the third quarter. A three from the top of the key by sophomore guard Makayla Emerson (Bradley, Maine) put the Beavers ahead 35-33 and ignited a 17-4 run to close the quarter, as Farmington began to pull away from the defending conference champions. Dow took over during the run—getting to the rim off the dribble, knocking down midrange jumpers, hitting pull-ups as her defender went under screens, and converting at the free-throw line, where she went a perfect 5-for-5 in the quarter. She scored 11 points in the frame, including nine of the 17 during the game-sealing stretch.
Farmington did not let up, starting the fourth quarter with a 49-37 lead. On the opening possession, Audrey Mackie (South Thomaston, Maine) drilled a three from the wing. Dow followed with an old-fashioned three-point play and a jumper, while Pingree added a fastbreak layup as the lead ballooned to 20.
Cobleskill cut the deficit to 16 at one point, but it was too much Dow and Pingree down the stretch, as the duo combined for 12 of the team's 26 fourth-quarter points to close out the win.
Stats of the Game:
Farmington:
Field Goal Pct: 39.4% (26-for-66)
Three-Point Pct: 35.7% (5-for-14)
Free Throw Pct: 81.8% (18-for-22)
Rebounds (Total / Off-Def): 38 (10-28)
Turnovers: 15
Cobleskill:
Field Goal Pct: 35.7% (20-for-56)
Three-Point Pct: 10.0% (2-for-20)
Free Throw Pct: 80.0% (12-for-15)
Rebounds (Total / Off-Def): 38 (8-30)
Turnovers: 24
Leaders — Farmington:
- Dow finished with a season-high 26 points on 9-for-18 shooting, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. She also added five rebounds, two steals, an assist, and a block.
- Pingree posted a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double to go along with two assists and two steals. She shot 8-for-14 from the field and 8-for-10 from the line.
- Emerson delivered a strong performance off the bench, contributing nine points, three rebounds, and two steals in 27 minutes.
Leaders — Cobleskill:
- Hadwen led all Fighting Tigers scorers with 12 points and added five rebounds.
- Bonczkowski, Zaylee Ramos, and Victorin each finished with nine points.
UP NEXT:
Farmington will look to remain undefeated on Saturday afternoon at home against SUNY Delhi. Gametime is set for 3:00 p.m.
