Box Score DARTMOUTH, Mass. – University of Southern Maine junior Megan Pelletier (Winslow, Maine) converted a lay-up with one minute remaining in regulation to break a 58-all tie to lead the Huskies to a 64-60 Little East Conference victory over the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth this afternoon in a NCAA Division III women's basketball game inside the Tripp Athletic Center.
The Huskies (10-11) earned a split with the Corsairs (16-5) with each squad winning on the road. UMass Dartmouth, who saw its season-high seven-game winning streak snapped, fell into a first place tie with Eastern Connecticut at 8-2, while Southern Maine moved into sole possession of third place with a 6-4 mark.
Senior Kelsey Garrity (Somerville, Mass.) produced a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while also adding six assists to lead the Corsairs. Sophomore Megan Ronaghan (North Attleboro, Mass.) scored a game-high 23 points, on 9-for-14 from the field, to also reach double digits in scoring. The Corsairs shot 53.1 percent (17-for-32) from the field in the second half to raise their field goal percentage to 39.7 percent (25-for-63), while struggling from downtown (16.7 percent, 3-for-18).
Southern Maine used a balanced scoring attack as four players reached double digits in scoring, led by junior Ella Ramonas (Portland, Maine). Ramonas was 5-for-11 from the floor and 6-for-8 from the foul line to register 17 points. Pelletier scored 13 points, on six field goals, while senior Rebecca Knight (Alfred, Maine) and classmate Taylor Flood (Sanford, Maine) each netted 10 points.
Facing their largest halftime deficit of the season, the Corsairs needed just five minutes to overcome a pair of 10-point, second half disadvantages. Junior Beth Castantini (Newburyport, Mass.) and Garrity ignited the 10-0 run with back-to-back three-pointers, while Ronaghan converted a fast break lay-up to whittle their deficit to 35-33 and force a visitors' timeout. UMass Dartmouth caused another turnover and Ronaghan sank a jumper to forge a 35-all tie with 14:44 remaining in regulation.
Southern Maine stemmed the tide and regained its advantage with a Pelletier jumper. The Huskies maintained a slight lead for the following nine minutes, but the Corsairs utilized a 7-1 surge to take their first advantage since early in the first half. Freshman Alicia Kutil (Franklin, Mass.) and Castantini each made a bucket, while Ronaghan scored the final three points to push the hosts' ahead 56-55 with just over two minutes remaining in regulation.
Senior Stephanie Gallagher (York, Maine) knocked down her only triple of the afternoon to regain the visitors lead, but Ronaghan responded with a pair of makes from the foul line to force the eighth and final tie. Gallagher fed Pelletier for a lay-up and added a pair of foul shots to extend Southern Maine's lead to 62-58 with 21 ticks left on the clock. The Huskies sealed the conference contest with hit its 14 and 15th free throws of the afternoon.
The Huskies shot 45.1 percent (23-for-51) from the field, including 52.2 percent (12-for-23) in the second half. The visitors took full advantage of their 18 free throw attempts, draning 14 of them. Each team pulled in 35 rebounds, while the Corsairs committed one fewer turnover (15-16).
UMass Dartmouth will return to action at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10, when the Corsairs travel to intra-state rival UMass Boston.
