Sunday's Maine college roundup: Bates women's basketball wins its first NESCAC title
Feb. 27—HARTFORD, Conn. — The Bates College women's basketball team won its first New England Small College Athletic Conference championship, beating Amherst Colleges 51-42 on Sunday afternoon.
Bates (16-6) earns an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III tournament. The tournament bracket will be revealed at 2:30 p.m. Monday. The Bobcats, the fifth seed in the NESCAC tournament, have not played in the NCAA tournament since 2006. Amherst, the No. 3 seed in the tournament and ranked eighth nationally, feel to 19-2.
Meghan Graff scored 20 points, including six free throws in the final 43 seconds, while Brianna Gadaleta had eight points for 16 rebounds for Bates. Mia Roy added 12 points and Ariana Dalia had eight points and 12 rebounds for the Bobcats.
Dani Valdez had 13 points and AnLing Vera 11 for Amherst.
The Saints (24-1) took a 13-point lead at the half and held on to beat the Monks (22-4) in the GNAC championship game in Boston.
Loredana D'Agotino had 19 points and nine rebounds for Emmanuel, which earns an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III tournament. Jamd Fiin added 14 points and nine rebounds, while Korie Mathis had 11 points and Yannie Chan added 10 points and eight rebounds.
Jayne Howe had 15 points, Cassandra Stapelfeld 14 points and Grace Philippon 13 and Angelica Hurley 12 for St. Joseph's.
Anne Simon scored 24 points and the Black Bears (18-10, 15-3 America East) won their 12th straight game, beating the Bearcats (3-22, 2-13) in Bangor.
Caroline Bornemann added 14 points, while Alba Orois had 11 points and Maeve Carroll had 10 rebounds.
Onome-Juliet Esadah had 14 points and nine rebounds, while Keelah Dixon had 13 points for Maryland Baltimore County.
Noah Jankowski went 2 for 4 with two doubles and three RBI as the Bobcats (2-1) beat the Athletics (2-1) in Winter Haven, Florida.
Tyler Attal added two hits, including a solo home run and scored three times for Bates. Henry Jamieson also homered and drove in a pair of runs.
Cody Tostrud had four hits, scored three times and drove in two for Carthage.
John McElaney had two goals and two assists as the top-seeded Mules (16-5-2) beat the eighth-seeded Jumbos (6-16-2) in the NESCAC quarterfinals in Waterville.
The Mules advance to the semifinals, which they will host, on Saturday.
Brian Sanzone, Jacob Thousand and Carter Breitenfeldt also scored for Colby. Adian Lovett scored in the first period for Tufts.
Andy Beran had 19 saves for Colby, while Josh Sarlo had 23 saves for Colby.
Andrew Lachance had five goals and four assists as the Nor'easters (2-1) beat the Mariners (0-1) in Biddeford.
Jordan White and Ryan Hazard both added two goals, while Kyle Kennedy had a goal and three assists for UNE. Sam McGregor, Gavin Tanis, Ben Gowell and Gabriel Martin each had one goal.
Ian Haines, Chandler Coombs, Zeke Tocci, Brendan Reddington and Sam Nichol scored for Maine Maritime.
The Lions (3-0) scored seven times in the first quarter and beat the Monks (0-2) in Standish.
Hunter Gervais scored four times, while Austin Franklin, Skyler Celotto, Jack O'Rourke and Birk Swan all had two goals apiece for Emerson.
Wyatt LeBlanc had two goals, while Eli Arsenault, Will Levesque, Max Lacy, Xavier Michaud and Zavier Balzano each had one goal for St. Joseph's.
