Martin steal preserves win for Husson

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BANGOR – The wins aren’t coming easily of late for the Husson College women’s basketball team.

Even so, the Eagles are winning.

Crystal Martin made a tap-away steal with two seconds remaining Tuesday night as Husson held on for a 63-61 North Atlantic Conference victory over Thomas College at Newman Gymnasium.

Coach Kissy Walker’s Eagles improved to 10-11 overall, 8-5 in league play. It was their third straight win, each of which has come by three points or less.

Husson appears to have re-established its on-court chemistry after losing leading scorer and rebounder Shelby Pickering of Lee and senior Holly Gracie of Frankfort to injuries.

“These last three games, I don’t think they should have been as close as they were, but they were and we dealt with it and we came out with the W’s. I guess that’s all that matters,” said Calais native Martin, who posted seven points, six assists and three steals.

With four regular-season games left, the Eagles have moved into a third-place tie with Thomas of Waterville (12-9, 8-5 NAC) in the NAC East.

Tuesday’s contest went down to the wire after the Terriers wiped out a 15-point deficit in the last 10 minutes.

The Terriers got the ball back with 20 seconds to play after an Eagle turnover and tried to set up their offense. As the clock ticked down, Thomas’ Karen Demers tried to dribble around the right elbow.

With Husson playing tight man-to-man defense, Martin alertly poked the ball away and time expired.

“We just assumed that they were going to go for the win,” Martin said of Husson, which had anticipated a 3-point attempt that never came.

Senior Carmen Ballard of Skowhegan scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds to pace Husson. She scored six straight points with scrappy low-post play, giving the hosts a 55-40 lead with 12:40 to play.

The Eagles couldn’t have imagined they would then go 10 minutes, 45 seconds before making another field goal.

“It was tough, that stretch there without scoring, but the biggest key was that we didn’t give up,” said senior Annie McIntosh of New Gloucester (11 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three blocks). “We really just kept our heads up and kept working on defense and eventually the shots came for us.”

Lea McNary (15 points, 9 rebounds) sparked the response by Thomas, scoring six straight points from down low during a 10-0 run that got the Terriers within 55-50 with 5:49 left. They eventually went ahead 58-57 on a 3-pointer by Kim Drosdik (15 points) from the left wing with 2:07 remaining.

“You work through it,” Ballard said. “You try not to give them too many open looks and keep working on the boards and don’t let them get second shots, because that’s what kills you.”

Husson responded as Martin drove the lane for a hoop and made the ensuing free throw to put the Eagles ahead for good. Annie McIntosh capitalized on a Thomas turnover by scoring on a move in the lane to make it a four-point game.

EAGLES 63, TERRIERS 61

Thomas (12-9) Husson (10-11)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Godley 1 4 0 0 2 Martin 3 8 7

Miles 4 8 0 0 10 Archer 1 4 5

Drosdik 5 15 1 2 15 Barden 1 3 3

Demers 4 9 3 4 12 Rollins 5 9 12

McNary 6 12 2 2 15 McIntosh 5 12 1 2 11

Nassetta 1 2 0 0 2 Wickstrm 0 0

Morin 1 2 0 0 3 Winters 0 0 0

St. George 1 2 0 0 2 Ballard 6 12 15

Merchant 0 8 4

Barnes 0 0 0 Hichborn 0 1 0 0 0

Dow 1 3 1 3

Bragdon 1 1 0 3

Totals 23 54 6 8 61 Totals 23 61 11 14 63

Thomas 34 61

Husson 40 63

3-pt. goals – Thomas (9-22): Drosdik 4-13, Miles 2-3, Morin 1-1, Demers 1-2, McNary 1-2, Godley 0-1; Husson (6-19): Rollins 2-6, Bragdon 1-1, Barden 1-2, Archer 1-3, Ballard 1-3, Martin 0-1, Merchant 0-1, Hichborn 0-1

Attendance: 125 (est.)