Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: Maine Sports

Media Credit: Rebekah Rhodes UMaine women's basketball guard Kris Younan tries to keep the ball inbounds during Sunday's game against Holy Cross.

Had the magic really come home? That was the question on the minds of fans who showed up on Thursday night to see the University of Maine women's basketball team in action.

Cindy Blodgett, poster child for UMaine women's sports even years after she graduated, had finally returned to the Alfond. Could UMaine's prodigal daughter bring the glory of her playing days back to Orono as a coach? If Thursday night's game was any indication, then the answer could be "yes."

In her home debut as head coach, Blodgett coached her team to a masterful 67-53 victory over the visiting Dartmouth Big Green in front of many of the same fans who had supported her as a player.

"The atmosphere was awesome. It's so much fun playing in front of a huge crowd with all the supporting fans," junior forward Colleen Kilmurray said. That huge crowd wasn't disappointed. The contest quickly became a statement for the Black Bears, as they led from wire to wire, taking the lead early and never looking back.

Coach Blodgett's team came out swinging, as Kris Younan buried a three-pointer to start off the scoring. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the game, however, was the team's defense, as they stifled Dartmouth's offense, forcing 19 turnovers in the game, in addition to 24 defensive rebounds.

Leading 23-8 midway through the first half, the Black Bears slackened the pace a bit, trading trips up and down the court for the remainder of the half. However, Maine got a momentum boost when sophomore center Sandra Vaitkute blocked what would surely have been a lay-up with one second remaining in the first half, preserving an 18-point home lead going into the locker room.

The second half was more evenly matched, with Dartmouth outscoring Maine 34-30. The defense remained stalwart and showed little fear of physical play, as Dartmouth scored 18 of their 34 second-half points on free throws. On offense, first-year phenomenon Tanna Ross led the scoring for Maine, recording 16 points, including four three-pointers. Sophomore guard Kristin Baker tallied nine points, with sophomore Brittany Boser and first-year Emily Rousseau chipping in eight points apiece.

Continued...

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