Junior Kelly Martin led Stonehill at Maine with 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists. (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Martin leads Skyhawks in exhibition with 22 points 

BANGOR, Maine. (November 8, 2015) – Stonehill College, among teams receiving votes in the USA Today Sports/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II preseason poll, battled tough in dropping a 77-58 decision to Division I University of Maine in a women's basketball exhibition game at the Cross Insurance Center this evening.

Senior guard Sophie Weckstrom (Espoo, Finland) poured in 22 points on 7-of-8 shooting, including 6-for-7 from three-point range, while converting both free-throws and adding four assists to lead Maine. Junior Sigi Koizar (Vienna, Austria) added 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting with six assists and four rebounds, while senior Liz Wood (Catlett, Virginia/Liberty) contributed nine points, a team-high five rebounds, five assists, three steals and a blocked shot.

Maine finished shooting 55.8-percent from the field (29-for-52), including 64.5% (20-31) in the first half, while connecting on 13-of-25 (52%) three-pointers, including 9-for-13 (69.2%) over the first 20 minutes. Stonehill shot 50-percent (12-for-24) in the opening half, including 6-for-12 (50%) from beyond the arc, but finished at 42.9% (21-49), including 6-for-16 (37.5%) from three, overall. Rebounds finished even at 26 apiece, while the Skyhawks had three more turnovers (12-9).

Junior Kelly Martin (Scituate, Massachusetts/Scituate) paced Stonehill with 22 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 4-for-6 from three, while converting all eight free-throws to go with a team-high nine rebounds, six assists and two steals. Sophomore Courtney Walsh (Windham, New Hampshire/Central Catholic) added ten points, two assists and two steals, while senior Paige Marshall (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) chipped in six points and four assists.

Sophomore Courtney Walsh added ten points, two assists and two steals. (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Maine jumped out to a 15-4 lead after Stonehill senior Shannon Brown (Las Vegas, Nevada/Centennial) scored the opening basket of the game, but was answered by a three-pointer at the other end by Wood. The Black Bears lead was 12 (19-7) with 3:12 remaining in the opening quarter when Stonehill reeled off eight straight points, keyed by back-to-back Walsh three-pointers, to close within four (19-15) with 2:08 to go.

Weckstrom capped the opening frame with a triple to give the hosts a seven point lead (27-20) and the Maine lead grew to nine (29-20) after a layup by senior Mikaela Gustafsson (Sodertalje, Sweden) a minute into the second. Stonehill answered again to pull within three (31-28) after two straight three-pointers from Martin. The Skyhawks were still within six (40-34) with three minutes left in the first half, but Maine scored the last nine points of the frame to take a 15 point (49-34) lead into the intermission.

Stonehill outscored Maine 10-8 in the third quarter, pulling within ten (54-44) after a jumper by sophomore Kate Ross (Providence, Rhode Island/The Lincoln School) with under a minute to play in the third, but senior Lauren Bodine (Louisville, Kentucky/DuPont Manuel) capped the stanza with a three-pointer to regain a 13 point (57-44) lead for the Black Bears. The Skyhawks would get no closer over the final ten minutes.

Stonehill opens its 2015-16 season next weekend when it competes at the Assumption College Tip Off Tournament against Goldey-Beacom College on Friday at 5:30 p.m. Maine opens its season at Harvard University on Friday at 5:30 p.m.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter and Facebook.