BIDDEFORD — The University of New England never trailed in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Women’s Basketball Championship game on Saturday and the top-seeded Nor’easters finished off a 69-63 victory over No. 3 Salve Regina University in front of more than 550 fans at the Harold Alfond Forum.

Winners of 19 straight contests, the Nor’easters (24-4) earned the CCC’s automatic bid into the field of 64 teams for the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship, which will begin on Friday at 16 sites around the country.

It will be the third time in four seasons that UNE has garnered a spot in the NCAA field. The Nor’easters claimed the league title in 2010, and received an at-large selection in 2012. Big Blue now has three CCC Championships to its credit with the first coming in 2001.

Sophomore Kelly Coleman led the Nor’easters scoring effort with 15 points. Senior Beth Suggs of Bath notched her 16th double-double of the year with 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

UNE outscored Salve Regina by a 24-13 margin at the free throw line. Suggs scored seven of her points at the free-throw line on eight tries.

Even with the 63 points allowed to Salve Regina, UNE’s trip through the CCC Championship featured a defense that surrendered just 47.7 points per game over the three rounds, and held opponents to just 34 percent shooting from the field.