Comeback Bid Falls Short for Women's Basketball at Boston College, 64-58

Sunday, December 14

Chestnut Hill, MA

University of New Hampshire

5-3

Boston College

6-4

Team	1	2	F
New Hampshire	26	32	58
Boston College	31	33	64

Comeback Bid Falls Short for Women's Basketball at Boston College, 64-58

12/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- The University of New Hampshire women's basketball team could not overcome a 16-8 second half run from Boston College, falling 64-58 to the Eagles at Conte Forum on Sunday night.

New Hampshire is unable to win its third consecutive game, slipping to 5-3 in the non-conference tilt. Boston College ups its record to 6-4 on the season.

Senior forward Kaylee Kilpatrick (Saint John, New Brunswick) led all scorers with 17 points for UNH. She registered 7 of 9 shots from the floor and grabbed five rebounds. She also recorded six assists, two steals and a block in the loss. Classmate Sarah-Marie Frankenberger (Gross Gerau, Germany) tallied 16 points. The senior forward converted 6 of 12 shots from the floor and was 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Senior guard Ariel Gaston (Toledo, Ohio) pitched in nine points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Freshman guard Ashley Kelsick paced the Eagles with 14 points. Kelsick poured in 5 of 8 from the field, which included two 3-pointers. Sophomore forward Kelly Hughes was one rebound shy of a double-double, tallying 12 points and nine rebounds.

UNH made 23 of 54 shots from the field to record a .426 field percentage. BC notched 23 of 51 attempts from the floor, posting a .451 clip. New Hampshire held a slight edge in rebounds, 33-32.

Boston College recorded the first basket of the game as Lauren Englen drained a jumper at 18:56. New Hampshire came right back with Kilpatrick throwing up a layup. The two sides traded baskets as the score stood at six apiece.

Belanger broke the tie as she received a pass from Gaston and converted a jumper at 13:52 to give UNH the lead. The Eagles responded quickly with a jumper of their own, coming from Kat Cooper to tie the game for the fourth time at 8-8.

Boston College created a five-point cushion in the middle of the first stanza with a 7-2 run. Kelsick sparked the home team surge with a 3-pointer from the right side. Stephanie Spoto (Pittsford, N.Y.) interrupted the run with a jumper to make it 11-10 Boston College. The Eagles resumed their spurt, drilling a pair of jumpers to increase the score to 15-10 with 9:39 left in the first half.

UNH turned to Frankenberger to trim down the Boston College advantage, pouring in two layups. Following a 3-pointer from the Eagles, junior guard Elizabeth Belanger (Acton, Mass.) brought the Wildcats within two points at 18-16 with 8:16 remaining in opening stanza.

Boston College rebuilt its two-score advantage in the waning moments of the first half, leading 27-23 at the 4:53 mark. Despite contributions from Kristen Anderson (Greene, Maine) and Carlie Pogue (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Gaston, UNH could not narrow down BC's advantage as the home team entered halftime with a 31-26 edge.

The Eagles began the second half with a pair of three-point plays to ignite a 16-8 run. Kate Quandt mustered a basket while fouled and converted the attempt from the charity stripe. Nicole Boudreau followed with a 3-pointer to give BC a 37-28 lead. UNH seemed to be able to contain the run as Frankenberger and Gaston tallied scores. However, the Eagles engineered their largest lead of the match with a 13-point cushion at 47-34 with 13:25 left in regulation.

The Wildcats swiftly responded with a 10-3 spurt, powered by scores from Kilpatrick and Frankenberger, cutting down the Eagles' lead to six at 50-44 with 7:24 showing on the clock.

Boston College clenched onto its two-score advantage until the 1:25 mark as a Belanger layup fell to make it 58-55 in favor of the host.

On the ensuing possession for the Eagles, Hughes turned over the ball on an offensive foul, giving the Wildcats a chance to tie the game.

Frankenberger managed to get an open look and launched a 3-pointer. However, the attempt ricocheted off the back iron and in the hands of Hughes.

UNH opted to immediately foul, sending Boston College to the line. Despite New Hampshire's efforts, the home team tallied all six of its free throw attempts to put the game out of reach, handing the Wildcats the 64-58 loss.

New Hampshire returns to the hardwood Thursday, Dec. 18 (7 p.m.), welcoming Dartmouth College to Lundholm Gymnasium. For tickets, log onto UNHWildcats.com/tickets or call (603) 862-4000.

Please visit UNHWildcats.com or follow the Wildcats via social media on Facebook (www.facebook.com/UNHWildcats), Twitter (@UNHWildcats), YouTube (www.youtube.com/UNHAthletics) and Instagram (@UNHWildcats) for the latest news and information on all 20 varsity sports. For additional information on the UNH women's basketball team, follow the 'Cats on Twitter (@UNHHoops) and Instagram (@unhwbb).