1/4/09
Women's basketball slips vs. Norwich
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- The University of Maine at Farmington women's basketball team dropped to 3-6 with a 72-49 loss to Norwich University today in the consolation game at the Williams Winter Classic.
Farmington forward Caitlyn Laflin (Farmingdale, ME), who led all scorers with 24 points, was named to the all-tournament team along with Cadet freshman Marie Girard, who netted 11. The Beavers are scheduled to host Bowdoin College Tuesday.
Jess Jaggars scored 11 of her team-high 13 points during a decisive 21-4 run, leading Norwich to a victory over Farmington. Norwich, which had five players reach double-figures in the victory, improved to 6-3 with the victory.
Norwich led by six at the half, 32-26, but a Farmington surge at the start of the second half had left the Cadets clinging to a 35-34 advantage. Norwich's run began when Laurel McWilliams drove the lane for two to make it 37-34.
The Cadet defense stiffened, forcing the Beavers into unappealing shots, cleaning up the glass and forcing turnovers -- 11 in the half. Jaggars's putback made it 39-34 and on the next trip down she drained a six-foot turnaround jumper in the lane for a 41-34 lead.
A transition lay-up from Christine Daniels restored the seven-point lead, and after a UMF turnover, Jaggars converted a pass from Erica Rate into a lay-up. That started a run of five straight points for the junior. Her second turnaround jumper, this one off an assist from Ally Daniels, gave the Cadets a 48-36 lead with 11:20 to go.
In addition to Jaggars (13 points, 8 rebounds) and Girard (11 points), Kayleigh Shappy, Natalie Marchese and Tara Stevenson each accounted for 10 points.
The first half was evenly contested with five ties, but Norwich managed to stay in front for the final 12 minutes and 20 seconds, with no lead greater than six. Laflin drove down the lane for a lay-up with 5:10 remaining in the half, tying the score at 10.
Seconds later, Norwich's Marie Girard drained a 16 foot jumper off the right block for a 20-18 Cadet advantage. A three-point play by Kayleigh Shappy extended that lead to 25-21 with 2:10 left.
Beaver forward Jillian Ross (Belfast, ME) stepped outside and drained a 3-pointer with 1:05 to go to make it a 34-33 game, but Daniels knocked down two free throws and Rate hit a trey from the left corner with 16 seconds remaining to take a 32-26 lead into the locker room at the half.
Laflin had 12 points at the break for Farmington, while Norwich's offense was shared equally by Stevenson, Marchese and Daniels, who each scored six.
