(Box
Score)
PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Junior Amanda
Kania (Manchester, N.H./West) and senior Laura
Kent (Bellingham, Mass.) combined for 27 points and 18
rebounds Saturday afternoon as Plymouth State University topped the
University of Massachusetts Boston, 51-36, in Little East
Conference women's basketball action at Foley Gymnasium.
Kania scored a game-high 15 points and Kent added her sixth
double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 boards to help
the Panthers stop a three-game losing skid. PSU (15-8
overall, 5-7 in the LEC) remains in sixth place, a game ahead of
UMass Dartmouth for the final LEC playoff berth, while UMB (4-19
overall, 0-12 in conference play) suffered its 14th
straight setback.
Both teams struggled in the shooting department, finishing with
identical 25.9 shooting percentages and each team collecting 47
rebounds. PSU was 5-of-18 from three-point range while UMB made
just 4-of-28 from beyond the arc.
Senior Caroline Ashe (West Roxbury, Mass.) led the Beacons with 11
points, the only UMB player to score in double figures, while
sophomore Molly Rattigan (Dorchester, Mass.) grabbed a team-high
nine rebounds.
Plymouth State never trailed in the "Senior Day" contest, but had
trouble shaking the upset-minded Beacons. The Panthers pulled
out to a 10-point margin twice in the first half (14-4 and 16-6),
but UMB hung around and battled back to within four points at the
half, 19-15.
PSU maintained the lead in the second half, but the Beacons stayed
within striking distance. The Panther lead ballooned to eight
points (27-19) only to see UMB get back to within four (28-24) with
15 minutes to play. The Beacons were within five points
(34-29) with eight minutes to go, but a 7-2 Panther spurt got the
margin back to 10 points with four minutes to go and PSU held on
the rest of the way.
Both teams wrap up the regular season next week with a pair of LEC
games. PSU travels to Keene State on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.) and
Rhode Island College on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) while UMB hosts
Southern Maine on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.) before traveling to Western
Connecticut next Saturday (1:00 p.m.)
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