Baker, Boser key UM win Late rally enables Black Bear women to nudge UNB

ORONO – It may only have been an exhibition game, but the University of Maine women’s basketball team showed it is excited about the season on Thursday night.

Sophomore walk-on Kristin Baker of Bingham provided the backcourt spark, while sophomore Brittany Boser lent an inside presence as the Black Bears earned an entertaining 86-80 victory over the University of New Brunswick at Alfond Arena.

After relinquishing the lead with 5:11 remaining, coach Cindy Blodgett’s team responded with a game-ending 12-4 surge to secure the victory.

Baker and senior guard Kris Younan tossed in 18 points each to pace UMaine, which shot 44 percent from the field, including 52 percent (11-for-21) from 3-point range. Boser finished with 16 points and nine rebounds, Sandra Vaitkute contributed 13 points and seven rebounds and Tanna Ross added 12 points for the winners.

Jessica Steed netted a game-high 23 points for the Varsity Reds, who are 3-5 in exhibition action. Kathleen Singh added 18 points.

The Bears forged a 39-33 halftime lead behind solid defense, steady rebounding and offensive balance.

Baker provided a perimeter presence, while Boser scored from inside and outside, each on her way to 10 points.

UMaine utilized a 1-2-2 matchup zone throughout the half that did an outstanding job of bottling up the middle. New Brunswick instead was forced to take what it could get from long range.

The hosts moved in front with a 12-4 scoring run. The Bears’ scrambling defense helped limit the Varsity Reds to only four points during a span of more than seven minutes.

Ross got UMaine started with a 17-foot jumper off a Baker feed, then Ross converted an offensive rebound to give the Bears a 20-17 lead with 10:02 left in the half.

Emily Rousseau scored on a baseline drive, before Steed cashed in with a similar move, snapping a scoring drought of more than three minutes. Vaitkute answered with two foul shots, then Boser answered two UNB foul shots with an inside hoop and a 16-footer as UMaine made it 28-21 with 5:36 to play.

The Bears, who led by as many as nine points in the half, outrebounded UNB 24-20. The visitors committed 13 turnovers, while UMaine made 11.

Field hockey

USM 3, Plymouth State 2 (OT)

At Gorham, Alyssa Kraus scored the winning goal in the fifth minute of overtime to lead the second-ranked University of Southern Maine Huskies past No. 3 Plymouth State University in the Little East Conference Semifinals

The Huskies advance to the championship game to play top-seeded Keene State College, who beat No. 4 Bridgewater State College 3-2, on Saturday in Keene, N.H. It’s Southern Maine’s first appearance in the final since 2003.

Cristina Corson scored an unassisted goal at 63:18 to tie it at 2-2 for the 15-6 Huskies. Caitlin Albert scored on a Corson assist at 36:15 in the second to tie it at 1-1. Allie Hill saved five of 13 shots.

Kerry D’Ambroise and Betsy Renaud scored unassisted goals for 10-8 Plymouth State. Leah Curtin stopped three of five shots.

Women’s soccer

Stony Brook 2, Maine 1

At Stony Brook, N.Y., Jennifer Egan’s goal with 11:49 remaining in regulation snapped a 1-1 tie and supplied Stony Brook with a berth in the America East semifinals.

Fourth-seeded Stony Brook, now 8-4-5, avenged a 1-0 loss to Maine last Sunday. Stony Brook will now travel to meet top-seeded New Hampshire on Sunday at noon.