The Husson University women’s basketball team from Bangor will be gunning for its third consecutive North Atlantic Conference championship this weekend when the Eagles travel to Castleton University in Vermont.
Fourth seed Maine Maritime Academy from Castine (19-7) will take on top seed Castleton (21-4) in Friday 6 p.m. opener before No. 3 seed Husson (17-9) will face No. 2 Colby-Sawyer (21-5) in the 8 p.m. semifinal.
The championship game will be Saturday at 2 p.m.
The winner advances to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Husson and Colby-Sawyer met in last year’s semifinals with the Eagles prevailing 87-49.
But the Chargers have won both regular season meetings this season, 54-53 in Bangor on Jan. 12 and 80-72 in New London, New Hampshire on Feb. 3.
All-NAC second team selections Lexie Hamilton, former Oxford Hills High School of South Paris standout Tianna Sugars and Emmani Robinson have been instrumentals in the victories over Husson.
Sugars has tallied 32 points and 21 rebounds in the two games, Hamilton has amassed 31 points, 17 assists and 12 steals and Robinson has collected 27 points and 20 rebounds. Hamilton had 14 assists in the 80-72 win.
Husson’s two all-conference picks, Washburn’s Kenzie Worcester, who was a first-team selection, and second-teamer Sami Ireland of Howland were Husson’s most productive players vs. the Chargers.
Worcester had 31 points and 10 assists and Ireland racked up 30 points and 25 rebounds.
Junior Worcester is Husson’s leading scorer, averaging 19 points per game. She is also averaging 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
Sophomore Ireland is averaging 9.9 points and a team-leading 6.4 rebounds. Garland’s Megan Peach has had a nice freshman season averaging 6.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 14 minutes of playing time per game.
Plymouth’s Anna MacKenzie, one of just two seniors on a 14-player roster that features 11 freshmen and sophomores, has averaged 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 points.
Sugars has averaged 14 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2 assists, Hamilton is at 13.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 6.8 apg and Robinson has contributed 12 ppg, 9.1 rpg and 3 steals.
Maine Maritime Academy had a pair of competitive games with Castleton, losing 65-57 on Dec. 8 and 65-54 on Jan. 27.
The Mariners feature All-NAC first team forward Alayne Felix, who is averaging 16.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals. Searsport’s Melinda Ogden is at 9.4 points and 4 rebounds per outing and Eliot’s Megan McLean has been good for 7 points, 3.5 assists and 2.4 rebounds. York’s Chloe Smedley has also had a good year, averaging 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds.
All-NAC first teamers Makayla Fay (14.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.9 apg) and Amanda Beatty (12.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg) have sparked the Spartans along with NAC Defensive Player of the Year Ashlie Fay (5.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.6 apg, 3 spg).
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