KEENE, N.H. – 5th-year senior
Meagan Donovan's clutch 3-pointer with five seconds remaining in regulation won the game for the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's basketball team, 46-45, Saturday afternoon at Keene State.
Donovan led the Corsairs (7-4, 1-1 LEC), who were playing for the first time in over a month, with 12 points and added five rebounds. Senior
Jordan Moretti was also in double figures with 11 points, seven boards, six assists and three steals. Senior
Jessica Carroll finished with eight points, while sophomore
Teja Andrews had seven.
The Owls (4-7, 1-3 LEC) had two players in double figures led by freshman Aryanna Murray, who led all players with 16 points.
It was a low-scoring first quarter as Keene State took a 5-0 lead. Junior
Haley Reinold made the first basket for UMass Dartmouth at the 7:56 mark, and sophomore
Faye Veilleux capped off the scoring as the Corsairs went on a 7-2 run to end the quarter even at seven.
Donovan and Moretti each made baskets in the paint to open the second and make it an 11-7 UMassD lead. Keene State then went on an 11-0 run to go up 18-11 with 1:15 until the half. An and-one by Moretti and two at the line from Andrews cut it to an 18-16 deficit at the break.
The third quarter was competitive as neither side gained any ground. Keene State jumped ahead by six until Donovan scored back-to-back baskets, sophomore transfer
Jaelyn Lavigne scored her first Corsair points, and Donovan sunk a 3-ball to knot the game at 27 with 2:36 left in the third. Andrews made a layup followed by an Owls 3-pointer to make it a 30-29 Keene State lead after three.
Carroll began the fourth with a three and an and-one, and Moretti scored underneath to make it a 37-30 advantage with 6:29 to go. Keene State then hit three triples to work its way to a 45-43 lead with 19 seconds on the clock. Moretti then found Donovan wide open for the game-winning three and the Corsairs got a stop on the other end to hang on for the win.
UMass Dartmouth is home against Eastern Connecticut at 4 p.m. on Monday.
