Martin scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Skyhawks at Division I Maine today in a preseason exhibition. (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Martin leads Skyhawks in exhibition challenge against Black Bears with 25 points

BANGOR, Maine. (October 30, 2016) – The University of Maine pulled away from Stonehill College in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter in posting a 74-54 victory in women's basketball exhibition at the Cross Insurance Center this afternoon.

Senior guard Kelly Martin (Scituate, Massachusetts/Scituate) led all scorers with a game-high 25 points for Stonehill as she connected on 10-of-19 shots from the field, including 3-for-9 from three-point range, while converting both free-throw attempts to go with four assists, two rebounds, a blocked shot and a steal. It marks the second-straight year Martin has scored 20-plus points at Maine after leading the Skyhawks with 22 points on 4-of-6 shooting from long distance, converting all eight free-throws, a year ago.

Juniors Samantha Hyslip (Westford, Massachusetts/Westford Academy) and Courtney Walsh (Windham, New Hampshire/Central Catholic) each chipped in eight points for Stonehill. Hyslip made 3-of-6 shots from the floor and converted 2-of-3 free-throws to go with three rebounds and two assists. Sophomore Maty Diabate (Holden, Massachusetts/Wachusett Regional) finished with four points, five boards, four assists and two steals.

Freshman Laia Sole (Igualada, Spain) paced Maine with 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting with four rebounds, while classmate Fanny Wadling (Nacka, Sweden) registered 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting, six rebounds and two steals. Junior Tanesha Sutton (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/SS Neumann and Goretti) rounded out the double-figure scorers with ten points, four boards and three assists, while senior Sigi Koizar (Vienna, Austria) chipped in eight points, a game-high seven rebounds and four assists.

Hyslip chipped in eight points, three rebounds and two assists. (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Stonehill was limited to 37.3-percent shooting (22-for-59) for the afternoon, including 31% (9-29) in the second half, while Maine finished at 49.2% (30-61), including 53.1% (17-32) in the second half to take control after trailing nearly the entire first half. The Black Bears also posted a 43-28 rebounding advantage.

Stonehill led nearly the entire first half before Koizar capped a 16-4 run to end the second quarter with a three-pointer to send Maine into halftime with a 33-30 lead. Martin buried back to back three-pointers to open the contest and spark the Skyhawks to a quick 6-0 lead. The Skyhawks advantage stretched to seven points (13-6) after a Martin layup midway through the opening quarter and was eight twice over the final 90-seconds of the first frame before settling for a six point lead (17-11) after a quarter of play.

Maine was back within four (21-17) after a Wadling jumper with 5:52 left in the second when Martin drilled a triple and added a layup to give Stonehill its largest lead of the game (26-17) with 5:21 remaining in the half. The Black Bears closed the half with their 16-4 run to take the lead into halftime, sparked by five points from freshman Blanca Millan (Santiago de Compostela, Spain).

Maine wouldn't trail again, opening an 11 point lead (47-36) after another Koizar three four minutes into the third quarter. Stonehill closed the gap to seven at the end of the third after a Walsh triple, but the Black Bears restored their double-figure lead (54-44) after a Sole layup two minutes into the fourth. Stonehill followed with six straight points to draw within four after a Martin layup with 7:25 still to play, but Maine didn't buckle and closed the game out by outscoring the Skyhawks 20-4 the rest of the way.

Stonehill opens its regular season schedule on Friday, November 11, with a non-conference matchup at Post University in Waterbury, Connecticut, at 6 p.m. The Skyhawks NE-10 and home opener is five days later on Wednesday, November 16, when they host Assumption College at 5:30 p.m.

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