The undefeated and top-ranked Amherst women’s basketball team escaped its trip to Maine last weekend with its spotless record, barely.

Coming into their games against Bowdoin and Colby, the Lord Jeffs’ average margin of victory was 38 points, with no game closer than 21 points.

Amherst topped Bowdoin 63-59, and then scored with 18 seconds left to beat Colby 51-50.

For Bowdoin Coach Adrienne Shibles, it was a bittersweet experience.

“I was very pleased with our effort,” she said. “The team executed the game plan extremely well and showed a lot of heart.

“But we are all disappointed with the outcome. It was tough to fall a little short.”

The Polar Bears (12-5, 3-2 in the NESCAC) have won 5 of 7.

“We have improved dramatically since the first semester,” Shibles said. “We are most definitely a deeper team. Allie (Piscina) and Sara (Binkhorst) have improved, and Nicole (Coombes) is back and giving us solid minutes.”

Leading Bowdoin is senior guard Jill Henrikson of Bath, with a 16.8-point average. She scored 18 against Amherst.

“Jill is a rock,” Shibles said. “Given the numbers that she has been putting up, (opponents) have been trying to affect her with physical play and their best defensive effort.

“In recent games – Amherst, for example – Jill stays patient and does the little things for us. She studies the game and finds ways to attack their weaknesses. She is a very intelligent, tough player.”

Bowdoin plays host to Colby (12-3, 3-2) at 2 p.m. Saturday.

THE USM women’s basketball team lost a Dec. 3 game at Eastern Connecticut State, 75-57.

Since then, the Huskies are 9-1, including a 94-52 romp over Eastern Connecticut Saturday at home. The Warriors had lost three starters between those two games.

USM (13-4, 5-2) plays at last-place Plymouth State tonight before a tough home game at 1 p.m. Saturday against Western Connecticut State (13-4, 5-2).

IN OTHER women’s basketball, St. Joseph’s (11-5) puts its six-game win streak on the line at Bates (7-10) at 7 p.m. tonight.

And the University of New England (12-3, 7-1) is on a five-game winning streak and leads the Coastal Commonwealth Conference.

UMAINE’S WOMEN’S hockey team is having one of its best seasons (13-8-2, 7-6-2 in Hockey East). But the Black Bears have something else to celebrate.

Ashley Norum, a senior, was nominated for the Hockey Humanitarian Award, given to college hockey’s finest citizen.

Besides her several service projects, including Operation Christmas Child-Fill a shoebox for a needy child and many cancer fundraisers, Norum is a scholar in the school of natural sciences, forestry and agriculture.

Norum, of Fairbanks, Alaska, is one of 23 nominees. That field will be reduced to eight finalists later this month. The winner will be announced at the men’s Frozen Four in April.

AFTER THE UMaine men’s hockey team began the season 3-6-2, Coach Tim Whitehead said he was breaking the schedule up in four-game chunks with the aim to win 3 of 4 each time.

Maine went 2-1-1 over the last four games, but the Black Bears are 9-2-1 in their last 12 games.

Maine (12-8-3, 9-7-2 Hockey East) visits red-hot and first-place Boston University (15-6-1, 12-4-1) this weekend. The Terriers have won five straight, including a two-game sweep of Providence last weekend, out-scoring the Friars, 14-1.

WHEN BOWDOIN and USM last played a men’s hockey game, the Huskies won 3-1 on Dec. 6 in Gorham. Since, the Polar Bears (10-4-2) have lost only once.

USM is 6-6-4.

The teams meet again at 7 tonight at Bowdoin.

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at: kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: KevinThomasPPH

 

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