FARMINGTON, Maine - The University of Maine at Farmington women's basketball team used a massive third quarter to run away from VTSU Lyndon en route to an 80-44 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) quarterfinal contest Thursday evening in Dearborn Gymnasium.

The victory for the Beavers marks their first playoff win since the 2019-20 season, when they advanced all the way to the NAC Championship game.

How it Happened:

The Beavers controlled play essentially from the opening tip. Nei'Shae Clegg found a cutting Ella Huntington on the first possession of the game to make it 2-0 Hornets. But it was all Farmington after that. The Beavers answered with a quick 8-0 run thanks to the tandem of Jaydn Pingree (Jay, Maine) and Jessica Dow (Saco, Maine). Dow found an open Pingree on consecutive possessions for a pair of midrange jumpers to get her going. Pingree then found a streaking Dow in transition to return the favor. Senior forward Sarah Poli (Benton, Maine) hit a pair of free throws to cap the run.

The Beavers hounded the Hornets for 94 feet, making life extremely difficult for the visitors. Farmington forced 11 turnovers in the first quarter alone and led by as many as 11 points in the opening 10 minutes of play. A pair of layups from Hawa Mubarak and Chloe Murphy in the final two minutes of the quarter helped the Hornets gain some footing as the Beavers clung to an 18-9 lead heading into the second quarter.

Melissa Mayo (Bridgton, Maine) hit a pair of free throws to open the quarter, and senior forward Ruby McMinis (Wells, Maine) canned a jumper two possessions later as the Beavers extended the lead to 13.

Kiara Mack answered with a layup, and Kadienne Whitcomb drilled a deep three to trim the Lyndon deficit to just eight with just under seven minutes left in the half.

Two minutes later, with the Beavers still holding an eight-point advantage, Dow broke free in transition to spark a 9-2 run that opened up a 33-18 lead. Clegg hit one of two from the free-throw line in the closing seconds to make it a 14-point game heading into halftime.

After forcing 20 Hornet turnovers in the opening half, the beat continued in the third quarter for the Beavers, who forced 10 more turnovers that resulted in 14 points off turnovers to help put the game away. Dow led the way defensively in the quarter, recording three steals that ignited transition opportunities.

Over the first 5:22 of play in the third quarter, Farmington rattled off an astounding 20-2 run that all but put the finishing touches on the playoff victory. Poli was the leading scorer during the game-clinching run, dominating inside the paint. She shot a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor in the quarter. Pingree, Dow, and Kytana Williamson (Nobleboro, Maine) each scored six points, while Mayo added four in the frame.

A jumper from Williamson in the final minute of the quarter gave Farmington a 65-31 lead heading into the fourth, and the Beavers cruised from there to book a trip to the NAC Semifinals.

Stats of the Game:

Farmington:
Field Goal Pct: 46.5% (33-for-71)
Three-Point Pct: 7.7% (1-for-13)
Free Throw Pct: 65.0% (13-for-20)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 37 (12-25)
Turnovers: 13

Lyndon:
Field Goal Pct: 34.8% (16-for-46)
Three-Point Pct: 25.0% (3-for-12)
Free Throw Pct: 45.0% (9-for-20)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 38 (11-27)
Turnovers: 36

Leaders - Farmington:

• Pingree led all scorers with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field, while also adding seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
• Dow stuffed the stat sheet, finishing with 10 points, eight assists, five steals, and four rebounds. She shot an efficient 5-of-7 from the floor.
• Poli totaled a season-high 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting to go along with nine rebounds, two steals, two assists, and a block.

Leaders - Lyndon:

• Huntington finished with eight points and five rebounds to lead the Hornets before fouling out.
• Mack added eight points on 3-of-6 shooting to go with seven rebounds in 19 minutes.
• Mubarak and Kiera Quintal each chipped in five points off the bench.

UP NEXT

The Beavers will travel to Bangor to square off with the second-seeded Husson University Eagles on Sunday afternoon. Game time is set for 3:30 PM.