Box Score BIDDEFORD, Maine--The Smith College basketball team saw the 2010-11 season come to an end on Wednesday night, but not before causing a near upset of the top seed in the ECAC New England tournament, bowing out with a 64-54 defeat to the University of New England.

After spotting the Nor'Easters (22-7) a 6-4 lead in the first three minutes of the half, Smith (17-11) took a 10-6 lead on back-to-back threes from Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth) and  Lizzy BelBruno (Hanover, N.H./Hanover).  A short basket by Marissa Munoz-Ruiz (Fairfield, Calif./Justin-Siena) extended the advantage to 12-7, and after the Nor'Easters got within 14-11 on a set of free throws by Kelley Paradis, Ashani Petrizzi (Deerfield, Mass./Greenfield)'s basket in the paint boosted the Smith lead to 16-11 with 10:56 to play in the first half. 

The Nor'Easters responded with a 10-2 run finished with an offensive rebound and stickback by Beth Suggs, but Smith took the lead right back on two foul shots from Drummond.  Consecutive baskets by Amanda Zakoske (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School) leveled the score, only to see UNE take a 30-28 lead into halftime on Paradis' layup with 46 left in the frame.

UNE opened the second half on a 6-0 run to give them their biggest advantage thus far, at 36-28,  but Smith would again respond, getting seven points from Drummond in a 9-1 run that knotted the score at 37.  The Nor'Easters went back in front on Eden Cianciolo's layup with 12:42 left in the game, then zoomed out to a 48-40 lead thanks to six points in a row from Paradis.  Drummond would not let the Pioneers out of the game, scoring Smith's next eight points to cut the lead to 50-48 with 5:57 to play, but UNE put the game to bed with a 14-4 run over the next 5:25.  Smith could only connect on two of their final 10 field goal attempts down the stretch.

Drummond showed why she was named the NEWMAC Rookie of the Year, connecting on 8-of-16 shots from the floor, including four three pointers, for 22 points, pulled down seven rebounds, passed out three assists, and adding a steal and a blocked shot.  Paradis scored 22 points for UNE, and was joined in double figured by Margo Russell (13 points) and Carrie Bunnell  (11 points).

The Pioneers end their season with 17 wins, the second most in school history, along with their first trip to the NEWMAC tournament final since 1998 and their first ECAC New England appearance since 1996.  Smith returns 11 of 12 players from this years team, including Drummond, second leading scorer Lizzy BelBruno (Hanover, N.H./Hanover), and starting point guard Devon Quattrocchi (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster).