WEST HAVEN -Sophomore guard Nicole Pollard led the Chargers with a career-high 19 points as they rebounded with a 63-39 victory over the Le Moyne College Dolphins. The Chargers improve to 13-8 overall and 8-8 in the Northeast-10 Conference, while the Dolphins fall to 11-10 overall and 8-8 in the NE-10.
The Chargers opened Saturday’s game with a 6-0 run. The Dolphins then scored five unanswered points to bring themselves within one at the 17:13 mark. The Chargers answered by scoring 10 of the next 16 points and took a nine-point (16-7) lead at the 12:57 mark. UNH took its largest lead of the half three minutes and 52-seconds later off a jumper from Helin Marte with 9:02 remaining. The Chargers once again led by 10 (28-18) at the 4:14 mark when Pollard connected from downtown. The Dolphins chipped away at the lead over the course of the final four minutes and trailed by seven at the half.
Pollard led the Chargers with 13 points in the first half. She connected on 3-of-4 from the field and 5-of-5 from the line. She also went 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. Lauren Hood led the team with five first-half boards. UNH shot 32.3% from the floor, 42.9% from three-point territory and 77.8% from the charity stripe. Le Moyne shot 31% from the floor, 21.4% from downtown and 50% from the line in the opening half.
Alysia Saunders scored a jumper for the Chargers to open the second half before the Dolphins went on a 4-0 run to cut the Chargers lead to five (37-32) at the 14:27 mark. The Dolphins exchanged points with the Chargers for the next five minutes. The Chargers then exploded with a 25-6 run to close the final 9:36.
Pollard added four rebounds, three steals and one assists to her career-high 19 points, while Nikki Carroll added 11 points and five boards for the Chargers. Dominique Stellmacher also finished in double-figures with 12 points. Saunders led the Chargers with eight rebounds and added seven points.
UNH held a 36-9 advantage in points off turnovers, a 33-14 advantage in bench points and a 20-14 advantage in points in the paint. The Chargers were out-rebounded 48-44 and trailed 7-9 in second-chance points.
The Chargers return to action at home on Feb. 4 in the Charger Gymnasium.
