BIDDEFORD, Maine - The University of Hartford Women's Basketball team travels to Biddeford, Maine to battle the University of New England Nor'easters in the first round of the Conference of New England (CNE) Playoffs tonight at 7:00 P.M.

No. 5 University of Hartford Hawks (10-15, 8-10 CNE)

No. 4 University of New England Nor'easters (14-11, 11-7 CNE)

Game Headlines:
Hartford looks to win their first game in the CNE Playoffs while UNE look to start their path towards redemption after losing in the conference final last season. The winner of tonight's match up will go on to face the #1 Western New England Golden Bears on Thursday, February 27^th.

Previous Matchups:
The Hawks and Nor'easters split the season series, with each team winning on their respective home courts.

December 7^th, 2024: Hawks (H) defeat Nor'easters 61-58

• The Hawks overcame a 15-point deficit in the third quarter, going on a 13-5 run to enter the fourth quarter down 43-36.
• A back-and-forth final quarter saw the game tied three times, including 58-58 with under a minute remaining in the game.
• Sophomore Lauren Sabia (Simsbury, Conn) scored her season high 26 points in the Hawks first matchup with UNE. Sabia shot 9-15 overall and 6-10 from three-point range, including the game winning three-pointer with three seconds left on the clock. Sabia's six three-pointers made were the most by a Hawk this season.
• University of New England's Gabby Soter and Faye Veilleux each recorded five steals, the most by any Nor'easter this season.

January 25^th, 2025: Nor'easters (H) defeat Hawks 71-58

• UNE opened the game on a 10-0 run, as the Hawks went over six minutes without scoring a basket in the first quarter.
• Foul troubles plagued the Hawks, as sophomore guard Ella Marchesani (Saddle Brook, N.J.) fouled out with 1:43 remaining in the fourth quarter, and sophomore center Ava Naszimento (Secaucus, N.J.) was limited to just 18 minutes after being called for four fouls in the contest.
• UNE's Sydney Jenisch recorded 19 points in the matchup, leading the Nor'easters.
• Hartford never held the lead, with their biggest deficit being 56-36 with 8:05 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Stats Matchup:

• The Nor'easters ranked second in steals as a team, recording 170 over their 18-game conference stretch (9.44 steals per game).
• The Hawks ranked second in the rebounding margin of the CNE, recording an average margin of +7.2 rebounds per game. The Nor'easters ranked sixth in rebounding margin, recording a +1.8 margin, despite having the third least defensive rebounds in the season.
• Hartford and UNE have similar shooting numbers, with the Nor'easters having the slightest edge in field goal percentage (UNE: .379%, HART: .378%).
• Hartford ranked fifth in CNE play in blocked shots, averaging three blocks per game compared to the Nor'easters 2.39.

Players to Watch:
University of Hartford Hawks:

• Sophomore Ava Naszimento (Secaucus, N.J.) finished with 53 offensive rebounds in conference play, the second most by any player in the CNE. Lining up against the Nor'easters team that has struggled to rebound defensively, Naszimento has a favorable match-up to create second chance opportunities for the Hawks.
• Sophomore Lauren Sabia (Simsbury, Conn) put up season highs in points, three-pointers made, and minutes in Hartford's first matchup with the Nor'easters. In the second matchup, Sabia led the scoring for the Hawks with 14 while playing 24 minutes off the bench.
• Sophomore guard Ella Marchesani (Saddle Brook, N.J.) recorded double-digit points in both matchups against the University of New England. Marchesani will need to stay clean in the deciding match, as she was limited to 31 of a possible 80 minutes against the Nor'easters in CNE play due to foul trouble.

University of New England Nor'easters:

• Junior Gabby Soter led the Nor'easters in almost every category in UNE's first matchup against Hartford, recording 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and five steals in UNE's 61-58 loss to the Hawks.
• First year forward Maddy Werner dominated the paint in UNE's 71-58 win over the Hawks, recording eight total rebounds, including four in the offensive zone. Two of Werner's rebounds led to buckets, while the other two led to an extended amount of time running off the clock. Werner also recorded 12 total points in the game, with four coming from the free throw line.
• Sophomore Sydney Jenisch led the Nor'easters with 19 points in UNE's 71-58 win against Hartford. Jenisch has seen an increased role with UNE in the past month, averaging 16.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

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