(Box Score) 

            CASTINE, Maine - Junior Amanda Kania (Manchester, N.H./West) poured in a game-high 21 points and pulled down six rebounds Friday evening to lead Plymouth State University past Rivier College, 79-60, in the first round of Maine Maritime's Mariner Invitational at Margaret Smith Gymnasium.

            Sophomore Alicia Doucet (Manchester, N.H./Central) contributed a double-double for the Panthers with 13 points and 11 rebounds as four Panthers scored in double figures.  Senior Gretchen Fritch (South Boston, Mass.) and sophomore Michaela Galvin (Windham, N.H.) chipped in with 12 and 10 points off the Panther bench, respectively. Senior Kalie Judd (Peabody, Mass.) was also outstanding in the win, collecting four points, six rebounds, eight assists, and seven steals.

            The Raiders were led by Jess Mellen (Rockland, Mass.), who scored a team-high 13 points and collected a team-high 12 rebounds. Mellen also reached the 1,000-point mark in her career. Elizabeth Dean (Saugus, Mass.) was the only other Raider in double figures with 11 points. Amanda Purcell (Hudson, NH) finished the night with nine points and five rebounds.

            Plymouth State outscored Rivier, 38-25, in the first half behind a 12-0 run late in the stanza to secure the 13-point halftime margin and the eventual victory. The Raiders were hampered by 24 turnovers and 33% shooting on the night. PSU outrebounded Rivier 44-42.

            The format of the tournament changed with the late withdrawal of Newbury College.  Maine Maritime will now play both teams on Saturday in the three-team format, facing Rivier at 12 noon and Plymouth State at 4:00 p.m. 

 (Courtesy of Maine Maritime Sports Information) 

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