The University of Maine women’s basketball team had waited 277 days since a America East semifinal playoff win over UMass-Lowell in March to play another game. The Black Bears returned to action last Thursday afternoon with a 14 point win over Big East opponent Providence in the 2020-21 season opener, and then followed that up the next night with another 14 point win over the University of Rhode Island for the two game road sweep.
Maine is now seeking their first 3-0 start to a season since 2013 when they visit Northeastern this Sunday at 12 p.m. Fifth year senior guard Blanca Millan, who was lost to an ACL injury for the season in the Black Bears sixth game last November, has picked up where she had left off. Millan, a native of Spain, picked up the America East Player of the Week for the ninth time in her career by averaging 21.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and two steals in the two wins including a 30 point and 14 rebound outing in the victory at Providence. Senior guard Dor Saar also played solidly in the first two games, and with four assists against the Friars on Thursday she moved past Cathy Iaconeta for fourth all-time on the schools assists list. She now has 419 helpers and is 18 away from moving past Kim Corbitt for third (436). Head Coach Amy Vachon also was named the WHoopDirt.com NCAA Division I Coach of the Week. Maine has now won 12 games in a row dating back to the end of last season, and also recorded their 800th win in program history with the victory at Rhode Island.
Sophomore forward Abbe Laurence, reigning America East Rookie of the Year Anne Simon, and freshman guard Alba Orois have also helped contribute to the fast start for the Bears. Fifth year senior forward Fanny Wadling, senior forward Maeve Carroll, and sophomore guard Anna Kehelin have not played as of yet due to lingering injuries and are hoping to be back when the America East Conference schedule begins on December 22 and 23 at Hartford. The non-conference matchup with the Huskies out of the CAA on Sunday will also be the third scheduled game for Northeastern, as they open up on Tuesday and Saturday with games at UMass-Lowell and Merrimack.
