UMAINE AUGUSTA MOOSE DETHRONE 2X USCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

UMaine Augusta Moose Dethrone 2x USCAA National Champions Christendom Crusaders in Quarterfinal Thriller

The No. 2 seed University of Maine at Augusta Moose delivered a statement victory Thursday night, knocking off the reigning two-time Christendom Crusaders in total Moose fashion, 62-49, to advance to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championship semifinals.

With the win, the Moose move on to Friday's semifinal matchup at 3:15 p.m., sending a clear message to the rest of the tournament field: the defending champions have been dethroned.

Fast Start Sets the Tone

UMA wasted no time taking control of the game. Annabelle Morris opened the scoring just three seconds in with a layup off a feed from Yvonne Roberge. Moments later, Bella Petrocci buried a three-pointer — again assisted by Roberge — to give the Moose a quick 5-0 edge.

Roberge added a layup midway through the quarter, and Petrocci's aggressive play on both ends helped stretch the lead. Though Christendom answered with a pair of late threes from Georgie Snyder, the Moose closed the first quarter ahead 15-14 after Petrocci converted a layup in the final 30 seconds.

Second-Quarter Surge Breaks It Open

The game turned decisively in the second quarter.

After Christendom tied the game at 19-19 early in the period, UMA responded with a 17-4 run fueled by perimeter shooting and relentless rebounding. Emilee Brown knocked down a three-pointer off a Morris assist, and Morris answered with a triple of her own minutes later.

Roberge capped the half with antlers up, draining a three-pointer with 31 seconds left before calmly sinking three free throws in the closing seconds. The Moose went into halftime with a commanding 36-23 advantage.

Defense and Depth Deliver

The Crusaders attempted to rally in the third quarter, trimming the deficit to 36-28 after a three from Mary Pennefather and a layup from Libby Kolesar. However, every time Christendom threatened, the Moose had an answer.

Lillian Cox converted inside off a Petrocci assist, and Arianna Bradeen provided a spark off the bench with key offensive rebounds and a strong finish in the paint. Brown added a late layup to send UMA into the fourth quarter up 44-30.

Defensively, the Moose controlled the glass and forced timely turnovers, limiting the Crusaders' second-chance opportunities despite their aggressive rebounding effort.

4th Quarter Closing Statement

Christendom made one final push in the fourth, cutting the lead to 12 midway through the quarter behind back-to-back threes from Snyder and Sydnie Villarreal. But Morris silenced the momentum with a clutch three-pointer at the 6:47 mark to push the lead back to 14 and would end the game with a double-double.

Petrocci followed with another dagger from beyond the arc, and Roberge converted a steal into a fast-break layup to effectively seal the outcome. Cox dominated the offensive boards late, converting multiple second-chance opportunities to keep the Crusaders at bay.

Final Score - 62-49 — a decisive victory over the 2x defending national champions.

The Moose now turn their attention to Friday's semifinal matchup at 3:15 p.m., riding the momentum of one of the program's biggest postseason wins.