Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--The Western New England University women's basketball team held first-place University of New England to its second-lowest scoring total of the season on Saturday, but it wasn't enough for the Golden Bears to come out on top in a 57-35 loss at the hands of the visiting Nor'easters in Commonwealth Coast Conference matchup at the Alumni Health and Living Center field house on Coaches Versus Cancer Suits and Sneakers Day.

Sophomore Sarah Shields led Western New England (7-9 overall, 4-6 CCC) in scoring with a career-high 10 points and five rebounds off the bench.

The Nor'easters (14-2, 9-1) came out strong by starting the game on a 13-2 run with the help of some sharp shooting from Kate Sawyer, who finished with a game-best 11 points and was a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range.

The University of New England enjoyed a 35-18 halftime lead. The Nor'easters scored 55 points in a three-point win at CCC foe Endicott on Jan. 4.

The Golden Bears struggled early breaking the tough Nor'easters full-court trap defense. Western New England didn't help themselves by shooting only 24.5 percent from the field (12-49) and committing 22 turnovers that turned into 22 points for UNE.

"We did a solid job on defense, but really struggled on offense," Golden Bears coach Nicole Chaszar pointed out after the contest.

Freshman guard Sammie Olson contributed five points and a team-best six rebounds, and both Katie Eckert and Samantha McCann pulled down five boards for WNE, which was outrebounded 41-34. UNE outscored the Golden Bears in the paint, 24-12.

The Nor'easters shot 40.7 percent on 22-for-54 field goal attempts and led the entire game.

McCann led all players with a career-high four steals.

Kendra Dawless paced UNE's presence on the glass with a game-high 10 rebounds, as the Nor'easters led that department 41 to 34. Alicia Brown added six rebounds and UNE recorded 13 second-chance points.

The Golden Bears' next matchup will be a CCC game at Curry College on Wednesday.