BIDDEFORD, ME – University of New England (2-0) defeated Saint Joseph's College (1-0), 72-53, in non-conference women's basketball action on Wednesday evening. Ashley Geel '12 (St. George, ME) netted a team-high 13 points and rejected four shots in the Monks' season-opening loss.

UNE forward Margo Russell '12 (Madison, ME) scored a game-high 22 points, shot 4-6 from beyond the arc and added six boards, six assists and two steals in the Nor'easters' win. Kelley Paradis '12 (Newport, ME) contributed with 14 points and four steals for the hosts.

The Nor'easters led wire to wire in their 2010-11 home-opener with the help of an outstanding all-around shooting performance. UNE shot 47.5% (28-59) from the field and went 10-13 (76.9%) from the charity stripe on the way to a 19-point victory over the Monks, who committed 32 turnovers in the loss.

A Nor'easters scoring surge mid-way through the first half put the Monks in their rearview mirror for good. A Geel bucket 10:31 into the opening period cut the Monks' deficit to 15-11, but UNE proceeded to connect on seven straight shots in the subsequent five minutes and led by 14 after April Mroz '11 (Somersworth, NH) made a layup at the 4:23 mark.

A pair of Danyelle Shufelt '13 (Sutton, VT) three-pointers over the following three minutes cut the UNE lead to eight, but the hosts pushed their lead to 39-27 at the half with baskets from Russell and Beth Suggs '13 (Bath, ME).

The Nor'easters shot 53.1% (17-32) in the opening stanza, while the Monks' posted a 34.4% (11-32) effort from the field, including an 18.2% (2-11) mark from three-point distance, in the first half.

UNE quickly upped their lead to 16 points early in the second period with a pair of baskets from Kari Pelletier '12 (South Paris, ME). Trailing by 17 after Pelletier drained a three at the 15:48 mark, the Monks managed to post a 9-0 surge to get back into the game and trailed 48-40 with 12:41 to play.

The SJC optimism was short-lived, however, as the Nor'easters regained momentum with seven unanswered points, including a quick three from Russell, over the next two minutes.

St. Joe's trailed by 12, 55-43, after Allie Parent '12 (Camden, ME) converted a pair of free throws with nine minutes remaining, but another Russell trey capped a 9-0 run for UNE, which led 64-43 with 5:29 left.

The Monks cut the UNE advantage to 15 points on a pair of occasions over the final five minutes with fast break buckets off steals by Lindsay Moore '14 (Somersworth, NH) and Mackenzie Dufour '14 (Augusta, ME), but would get no closer on the scoreboard in the losing effort.

For the Monks, Shufelt scored 10 points and Abby Young '14 (North Yarmouth, ME) registered seven points, eight boards and four steals in her first collegiate contest. Also seeing her first NCAA action was Dufour, who grabbed six steals with seven points and four assists in a game-high 38 minutes of playing time.

Megan McDevitt '12 (Cumberland, ME) added six points, while Parent and Casey Drake '11 (Lebanon, NH) both netted four points in the Saint Joseph's loss. Skyler Makkinje '14 (Hillsboro, NH) produced an assist and a steal in her first college basketball contest.

Both teams will resume play in invitational tournaments this weekend. The Monks face UMass.-Dartmouth in the Curry College Tip-Off Tournament on Friday at 5:30 PM, while the Nor'easters are slated to take on Trinity College in the Emerson College Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday  at 3:00 PM.