BANGOR, Maine – Defense and grit down the stretch and in overtime lead Hartford to an America East opening victory over the Maine Black Bears, snapping a seven-game skid entering the night. Hartford (2-8 overall, 1-0 America East) was led by freshman point guard Deanna Mayza who finished with a game-high 18 points in her return to the starting lineup.

"It's good to be 1-0!" said head coach Jennifer Rizzotti. "It's good to get out there and find a way to win. When you talk about toughness it's not just about making the shot, it's about find a way and tonight there was a level of toughness that we haven't seen all season. I think our junior's played really well tonight, especially defensively with Shanise [Bultron] on Roberts [Ashleigh] which allowed our younger players to relax and play."

Mayza was one of three Hartford players to finish in double figures joined by classmate Alyssa Reaves and junior Amber Bepko who finished with 15 and 11 points, respectively. As a team, Hartford finished the game shooting 42.6 percent from the field on 26-of-61. Cherelle Moore and Shanise Bultron added nine and eight points to the effort.

Mayza also led the Hawks with seven assists and four steals, both career highs and season-best for all Hartford players. As a team, Hartford combined for 15 assists and 12 steals, forcing 27 Maine turnovers and converting those turnovers into 23 points. The Black Bears did finish the 45 minute contest with a 36-34 advantage in the rebounding battle with Hartford led by Moore who finished with seven.

Maine came out of the gates firing from beyond the arc with Sophie Weckstrom scoring on the first shot of the night. The teams would trade baskets over the first seven minutes before a 5-0 run for the Black Bears resulted in a 16-9 lead with 8:01 remaining. Hartford broke the Black Bears momentum with a layup from Bepko off a steal and feed from Mayza.

Mayza would then spark a 5-0 run later in the opening half that pulled the Hawks within two points, 22-20 with under three minutes before the break. Maine responded by scoring six straight to gain a 28-20 lead, the largest of the half, with 20 seconds remaining. Freshman La'Trice Hall would break up that run and end the first half with a put-back layup as time expired.

Mayza led all players in the first half with nine points, shooting 4-of-7 overall with one rebounds, three assists and three steals in the opening 20 minutes. As a team, Hartford finished the half shooting 40 percent from the field on 10-of-25, while the Black Bears made half of their first half attempts on 12-of-24. The Hawks won the rebounding battle in the opening half 15-13.

After trading buckets for the first eight-plus minutes of the second half, Maine scored back-to-back three pointers, separated only by an Alyssa Englert free throw, taking its largest lead of the game at 39-30. Hartford responded to that deficit by scoring 14 of the next 16 points which resulted in the first lead change and the Hawks taking a 44-41 lead with 5:20 remaining in regulation. Five different players chipped into the rally with Bepko and Moore each scoring four points.

Hartford would never relinquish that lead despite a trio of stalemates. Hartford matched its three point lead with 3:40 remaining on a jump shot from Reaves only to have Maine tie the score on an old-fashioned three point play from Liz Wood. Hartford would match that play with the same from Bultron as she battled into the paint for a layup and free throw.

The Black Bears would then tie the score with 65 seconds remaining with their fifth three pointer of the game, from Sophie Weckstrom. Hartford responded with a jumper from Moore 23 seconds later. Maine then cut that two point advantage in half with a free throw from Ashleigh Roberts with Moore matching that with 18 seconds remaining hitting the first of two attempts.

The Black Bears then tied the score with 7.6 seconds remaining in regulation on a pair of free throws from Mikaela Gustafsson with a last second jump shot from Mayza off the mark.

Hartford entered the extra frame determined to come out with a victory taking an early five point lead on a layup from Mayza and a three pointer from Bultron. Maine responded to the second basket with a jumper from Gustafsson 18 seconds later with Bepko answering that with a drive to the hoop for two and a foul, extending the Hawks lead to 60-54 with 2:51 remaining.

Roberts would convert a pair of free throws 20 seconds later to pull the Black Bears within four. After Reaves scored her first basket of the overtime on a layup with 1:19 remaining the Hawks rallied for three offensive rebounds and steal in the final minute, not allowing the Black Bears an opportunity down the stretch. Mayza and Bepko secured the victory and extended the final score into double figures each sinking two free throws in the final 40 seconds.

The Hawks return home for the first time since November 26 when they welcome the Vanderbilt Commodores to the Reich Family Pavilion on Sunday, December 15. Hartford and Vandy meet for just the second time with the Commodores winning the series opener last season 67-45.