BRUNSWICK — The Bowdoin College defense shut down New York University to earn a 62-48 second-round win in the NCAA Division III women’s basketball tourney Saturday night at Morrell Gym.
The Polar Bears (22-6) held the Violets to a 28.6 shooting effort from the field (18 of 63) to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for a third-round game against Rochester on Friday night at Amherst (Mass.) College.
NYU, held to a season-low 48 points, finished at 19-8.
Bowdoin scored the first eight points of the second quarter to surge to a nine-point lead highlighted by Rachel Norton’s conventional three-point play and Lauren Petit’s 3-pointer.
NYU cut it down to five but Abby Kelly scored five points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, to give Bowdoin a 31-21 halftime lead.
NYU cut Bowdoin’s lead to seven twice in the third quarter, but the Polar Bears responded each time, pushing the lead to as much as 12 en route to securing the win.
Shannon Brady paced Bowdoin with 18 points and four rebounds while Kelly finished with 11 points. Ally Sifen chipped in with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Kaitlyn Read recorded 16 points and nine rebounds to lead NYU and Megan Dawe added nine points and 11 rebounds. NYU had a 44-42 team rebounding edge.
Softball
UMaine opens Monday
The University of Maine softball team begins its season at 11 a.m. Monday when it opens with a doubleheader against IPFW in Clearwater, Florida.
The Black Bears, selected to finish fourth in the America East Preseason Coaches Poll, will play 19 games in during their annual trip to Florida, ending on March 20.
Maine enters the season coming off a 22-win season, its highest win total since 2010. The Black Bears return 15 letterwinners on a young roster which features just one senior in catcher Janelle Bouchard. The Black Bears, who had the league’s lowest ERA last season (2.72) will look to replace the 2015 America East Pitcher of the Year, Alexis Bogdanovich.
Maine, under first-year head coach Mike Coutts, returns its top two hitters in junior shortstop Felicia Lennon (.324, 44 hits, 27 runs, 21 RBIs) and outfielder Erika Leonard (.321, 42 hits, 24 runs, 22 RBIs).
Women’s Lacrosse
St. Joseph’s 17, Husson 1
At Deering Memorial Stadium in Portland on Saturday, Elyse Caiazzo recorded five goals and two assists to lead St. Joseph’s by the Eagles of Bangor.
Kelsey Dumond chipped in with five goals and an assist for St. Joseph’s (1-1) while Elizabeth Elcock added three goals. Jackie Wilson and Mary Leasure each contributed a goal and five assists.
Mariah Carrier scored for Husson (0-1) with 2:59 left in the first half.
Michelle Cunha made six saves for St. Joseph’s and Kaitlin Dolloff finished with 14 for Husson.
Men’s Lacrosse
USM 14, MMA 6
At Castine on Saturday, the University of Southern Maine scored three goals in the second quarter to snap a 3-3 tie and then added four goals in each of the final two quarters to beat Maine Maritime Academy in a mutual opener.
Nate Delgiudice, Jeff Urmston and Paul Lenardo each scored three goals to lead USM while Seth Wing added two. Keegan Smith, Jaymz McStowe and Austin Watts each chipped in with a goal.
Dean Samuelson recorded two goals and two assists to lead MMA while Michael Martel added two goals and an assist. Alex Grant-Roy and Tim Grant each contributed a goal.
John Bossi made 11 saves for USM and Cody Schell had 13 for MMA.