Dec. 14, 2008
CASTINE, Maine - Nicole Duchesne (Plaistow, N.H.) poured in 23 points and was named the Mariner Classic Most Valuable Player, leading Endicott College past host Maine Maritime, 72-60, in the championship game of the Mariner Classic Sunday afternoon at Margaret Smith Gymnasium. With the win, Endicott will now enter the break with a 6-3 overall record.
Endicott forced MMA into 32 turnovers and, despite getting out-rebounded 47-25, the Gulls fought their way to the 12-point win. The Gulls got off to a quick start and held a 14-point lead midway through the first half before the Lady Mariners came storming back to cut the lead to six after an Ashley Tilton (Lubec, Maine) three with just five seconds left in the half. The Gulls quickly reversed fortune as Kate Kovach (Moon Township, Pa.) hit a half court shot at the buzzer to push the Endicott lead back to nine going into halftime.
MMA refused to go away and climbed back into the game closing to within one after a Tatum Welch (Newport, Maine) jumper with just under 10-minutes to go. The Lady Mariners would get no closer as the Gulls went on a 9-0 run to push the lead back to double digits. MMA got the score to within six two more times but Nicole Duchesne iced the game going 8-8 from the free throw line down the stretch.
Ashley Wright was outstanding in the victory scoring 18 points while Brittany Kelleher (Wakefield, Mass.) was stellar off the bench for the Gulls scoring 13 points. Ashley Wright (Merrimack, N.H.) joined Duchesne on the All-Tournament Team.
The Lady Mariners were led by Kelsi Eiane (Harpswell, Maine), who scored 13 points, while Katie Hutchinson (Dixfield, Maine) chipped in with 11 points. MMA held a huge rebounding edge in the game (47-25) behind the efforts of Tatum Welch and Sam Goda (Eliot, Maine). Welch collected 12 points and 17 rebounds and earned a spot on the All-Tourney Team, while Goda scored 8 points and grabbed 12 rebounds (11 offensive). Hutchinson joined Welch on the All-Tournament Team.
The loss drops the MMA's record to 3-5 on the year and the Lady Mariners will be off until after Christmas when they travel to Bowdoin College on the 28th. Endicott will resume its non-conference schedule after New Years, hosting UMass-Dartmouth on January 5 at 7:00 p.m.
