STANDISH, Maine – Trailing by just three entering the 4th quarter, the University of Maine at Farmington women's basketball team was held scoreless for the first five minutes and 20 seconds as Saint Joseph's College of Maine rattled off a 15-0 run to put the game away and defeat the Beavers, 68-54.
The Records:
Farmington entered the game unbeaten, and with the loss heads into Thanksgiving break at 4-1 overall. The Monks return to .500, improving to 3-3 with the win.
How it Happened:
The two teams traded baskets through the opening five minutes as the Beavers clung to a three-point lead. Farmington was then held scoreless over the next five and a half minutes while St. Joe's went on a 14-0 run to open up a 20-9 lead with under a minute to play in the 1st quarter. The Monks caught fire from beyond the arc during the run, with Madison Lebel, Maddie Russell, and Layla Facchiano all connecting from deep.
The Beavers answered with a 7-0 spurt over the final 48 seconds of the quarter to cut the deficit to four. A three from Melissa Mayo (Bridgton, Maine) followed by consecutive fast-break layups from Audrey Mackie (South Thomaston, Maine) made it 20-16 heading into the 2nd quarter.
Farmington's run carried into the second as Mayo drilled another three, followed by a layup from Jessica Dow (Saco, Maine) to give the Beavers a one-point lead. The game stayed within one possession for the remainder of the half. The Monks led by as many as three before Jaydn Pingree (Jay, Maine) sank a pair of free throws to make it a 30-29 game at halftime.
The game threatened to get away from Farmington midway through the third quarter. Over a 90-second stretch, the Monks connected on three triples, two from Logan Brown and one from Lebel, to open up a nine-point advantage with 5:38 left.
Farmington benefitted from St. Joe's foul trouble, entering the bonus with five minutes left in the quarter. After Brown's second three made it 47–38, the Beavers hit 4-of-6 free throws over the next 30 seconds to pull within five. In the final minute, Kytana Williamson (Waldoboro, Maine) jumped a passing lane for a steal and took it coast-to-coast for a layup, making it 49-46 heading to the fourth.
The game slipped away quickly in the final quarter as the Beaver offense stalled. Farmington was held scoreless until the 4:40 mark while the Monks put together a decisive 15-0 run. St. Joe's continued to hit from long range, getting two threes from Brown and one from Russell during the stretch. Lebel was dominant on the glass, seemingly grabbing every rebound and finishing with seven boards in the quarter alone.
Farmington pulled within 12 late but could not get any closer.
Stats of the Game:
Farmington
Field Goal Pct: 32.8% (19-for-58)
Three-Point Pct: 26.3% (5-for-19)
Free Throw Pct: 78.6% (11-for-14)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 26 (3–23)
Turnovers: 15
St. Joe's
Field Goal Pct: 39.4% (26-for-66)
Three-Point Pct: 35.7% (10-for-28)
Free Throw Pct: 50.0% (6-for-12)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 48 (16–32)
Turnovers: 21
Leaders – Farmington:
- Pingree led all Beaver scorers with 16 points, shooting 7-for-17 and adding four rebounds.
- Mayo went 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, finishing with 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
- Mackie added 12 points and four boards on 5-for-9 shooting.
Leaders – St. Joe's:
- Lebel turned in a dominant performance with 18 points and 17 rebounds on 7-for-11 shooting, plus four steals.
- Brown shot 5-of-7 from deep, scoring 18 points with four rebounds and three assists.
- Elisabeth Stapelfeld also reached double figures with 12 points in 35 minutes.
Up Next:
Farmington hosts Southern Maine Community College on Sunday evening at 5:00 p.m. in a scrimmage. Regular-season action resumes on December 5 on the road against Thomas College.
