MILTON, Mass.- The Curry College women's basketball team dropped a 48-42 conference contest to the visiting University of New England on Saturday afternoon at the Katz Gymnasium. With the win, the Nor'easters improve to 9-5 overall and 6-2 in the conference. Curry slips to an overall record of 5-10 and 3-5 in the CCC.

The two squads traded the first 12 points of the contest before either could build a lead. UNE took a two point lead at 10-8 following an and one conversion by Olivia Shaw (Saco, Maine). The visitors tacked on two more points to end the first stanza after a Laura Holman (Mostar, Croatia) and ended the opening quarter with a four point lead.

The Colonels tallied the first three points of the second quarter to pull within one but the Nor'easters went on a mini 7-0 run to build a 19-11 lead with 4:14 remaining in the half. The run was capped off by two free throws by Jasmine Nyce (Telford, Pa.).

Curry was able to trim the deficit to three with 3:20 to go after Emily Irwin (Billerica, Mass.) hit two free throws to make the score, 19-16. The teams traded the final four points of the quarter as the Colonels entered the locker room with a three point deficit.

Following a layup by Irwin to open the second half UNE embarked on a 5-0 run to build a six point lead. The lead stretched out to seven with 1:40 to go after a layup by Alicia Brown (Greenland, N.H.)  and they would later move it to nine on a basket by Sadie Nelson (Windham, Maine.). A basket by Paige Senatore (Ayer, Mass.) cut the deficit to seven entering the final quarter of play.

The lead would be sent to double figures in the early moments of the fourth quarter. Brown hit a jump shot with 6:25 remaining in regulation to put the Nor'easters up by nine and then Sam MacDonald (Lebanon, N.H.) pushed the lead to 11 with a layup.

The Colonels would fight back and trim the deficit to just four with 1:58 remaining. But UNE finished the contest with two free throws by Nelson to capture the six point victory.

Nicole Rice (Woburn, Mass.) paced all scorers with 12 points on the afternoon. The junior also posted four rebounds and five blocks. Irwin joined Rice in double figures with 11 points while adding nine rebounds and four steals.

Nelson led the Nor'easters with 11 points while adding four rebounds, three assists and one steal. Shaw added 10 points off the bench as the only other UNE player in double figures.

The Nor'easters had the advantage in the shooting column as they shot 40% from the field. Curry posted a 26.7% clip. UNE also had the edge in free throw shooting, rebounding, points off turnovers, and bench points. The competition was even in the second chance points and points in the paint categories.

Curry will next play on Tuesday when they head to Western New England for a 5:30 start. UNE will also be on the road Tuesday as Eastern Nazarene will welcome the Nor'easters for a 5:00 tip.