With both teams finding it difficult to zero in on the basket in the first half, UMF and Southern Maine found themselves locked in a low-scoring affair at 25-25 at the break. UMF shot 31.8 percent (7-for-22) in the opening half and led by as many as nine points, following a three-pointer from sophomore guard Amanda Byrne with 6:43 left. Southern Maine rallied to tie, however, outscoring the Beavers 11-2 after Byrne’s basket.
Both teams battled in the opening minutes of the second half trading the lead while trading baskets, before Southern Maine took the lead for good on a baseline jumper from Kent off of a Marble assist with 12:54 to play. The Huskies, however, were unable to put the tough-minded Beavers away and never led by more than 10 points as Kari Simpson, Caitlyn Laflin and senior guard Karen Sirois kept UMF at the Huskies heels. Sirois scored all 10 of her points in the second half, while Simpson and Laflin each scored in double figures netting 14 and 11 points, respectively.
After taking its largest lead of the game, 48-38, with 4:55 on the clock, USM saw its lead chopped to just four points, 51-47 with 2:38 remaining after a 9-3 Farmington run. Sirois sparked the UMF run making a lay-up and draining the free throw for a traditional three-point play, while Laflin and Simpson each added a lay-up. Southern Maine sealed the game from the free throw line, making six-of-six down the stretch including four consecutive from Kent.