FARMINGTON, Maine – For the first time since 2007, the University of Maine at Farmington women's basketball team took down Husson University, topping the Eagles 78-67 on Saturday evening in Dearborn Gymnasium.

The Records:

The win for the Beavers moved them to 7-3 overall and 5-1 in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) action. Husson dropped to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play following the loss.

How It Happened:

The first half was an offensive struggle as both teams had difficulty finding their range. During the opening 20 minutes, the teams combined to shoot 16-for-73 (21.9%) from the field, with the Beavers shooting 19.4% (7-for-36) and the Eagles at 24.3% (9-for-37).

Despite the cold shooting from both teams, the opening half remained competitive. Husson held the largest lead of the half, going up five points when the score was 5-0.

The Farmington duo of Jessica Dow (Saco, Maine) and Jaydn Pingree (Jay, Maine) began to find their rhythm in the second quarter, combining to score 15 of the team's 17 points as the Beavers trailed 25-24 heading into halftime.

Farmington flipped a switch in the third quarter, coming out of the intermission scorching hot from the floor. Dow spearheaded a 33-point quarter for the Beavers, scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

With Farmington clinging to a 32-30 advantage, an Audrey Mackie (South Thomaston, Maine) layup off a feed from Dow ignited a quick 10-0 run. The surge was capped by back-to-back steals that led to layups by Pingree and Dow, forcing a Husson timeout with 4:51 remaining in the third quarter.

The Eagles responded with an 8-0 run of their own, highlighted by three-pointers from Laela Martinez and Sophia Carnes to trim the deficit to four.

Abby Radel hit a pair of free throws for the Eagles with 3:04 left in the third quarter, making it a 44-40 game. Over the final 3:04 of the period, Farmington outscored Husson 13-3 to take a 14-point lead into the fourth quarter. The Farmington defense proved decisive, forcing 11 Eagle turnovers in the quarter—eight of which were live-ball turnovers—resulting in 14 points off turnovers.

After Farmington pushed its lead to as many as 17 early in the fourth, Lilly Roy sparked a rally for the Eagles, pulling them back within seven. Roy was fouled on a three-point attempt and converted all three free throws to start the run. She added two more free throws and a deep three-pointer to make it 68-61 with five minutes remaining.

Pingree answered by going 3-of-4 from the free-throw line over the next two possessions, and a Kytana Williamson (Nobleboro, Maine) steal and layup quickly pushed Farmington's lead back to 12, all but sealing the game.

Pingree played the role of closer in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points while doing much of her work on the low block. She used her strength to overpower defenders, finishing at the rim or drawing fouls to get to the free-throw line.

Stats of the Game:

Farmington:
Field Goal Pct: 39.4% (28-for-71)
Three-Point Pct: 20.8% (5-for-24)
Free Throw Pct: 65.4% (17-for-26)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 44 (12-32)
Turnovers: 14

Husson:
Field Goal Pct: 30.8% (20-for-65)
Three-Point Pct: 20.8% (6-for-21)
Free Throw Pct: 87.5% (21-for-24)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 46 (13-33)
Turnovers: 23

Leaders – Farmington:

• Pingree scored a game-high 26 points, shooting 9-of-16 from the floor, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line. She also added three rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
• Dow delivered an outstanding all-around performance, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. She shot 7-of-12 from the floor and grabbed five offensive rebounds in 36 minutes of action.
• Mackie also finished in double figures, scoring 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting.

Leaders – Husson:

• Roy finished with a team-high 21 points and seven rebounds.
• Radel added 18 points, shooting a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line to go along with seven rebounds.
• Saige Evans recorded a double-double with 13 points and 17 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end.
• Martinez compiled 10 points, six assists, and four rebounds in 36 minutes of action.

Up Next:

Farmington will have three weeks off before returning to action on Monday, January 5, when the Beavers host VTSU Lyndon at 5:00 p.m.