UMPI men stay hot
Claude Louis and Patrick Manifold each scored 26 points to lead the UM-Presque Isle men’s basketball team to a 71-63 road win at the University of Maine-Fort Kent last Wednesday.
The Owls, who also topped UM-Augusta two nights earlier, 89-46, are now 6-4 on the season after only winning three games all of last season. UMPI next takes on Eastern Maine Community College at home Friday. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
The Bengals fell to 0-9 with the loss.
After taking a 37-32 lead into the halftime locker room, the Owls kept the pressure on after the break and built a comfortable double-digit lead. But the Bengals would not go silently on their home court. Led by Yoshives Belizaire’s 14-point, 13-rebound performance, UM-Fort Kent roared back and tied the game with five minutes remaining.
Down the stretch, however, it seemed that whenever the Owls needed a big basket, Louis would answer the bell. The junior transfer from New Jersey hit two huge three-pointers to make sure his team never fell behind.
Manifold shot 11-20 from the floor and also collected a team-high nine rebounds.
In the win over the Moose, Manifold scored 27 points and snared seven rebounds, while Chase Vicaire and Michael Warner had 20 and 19 points, respectively, in the rout. Jayson Burke snagged a team-best eight rebounds for the Owls.
In women’s play, Bengal sophomore Erika Christensen scored 19 points and grabbed a career-high 27 rebounds to help lead UM-Fort Kent past UM-Presque Isle, 62-47, in a USCAA matchup also played last Wednesday.
UM-Presque Isle is now 0-7 and will look to break into the win column Friday with a 7 p.m. home date against EMCC.
UMPI was led by Doni Yendriga, who had 17 points and seven boards.
In a 70-58 loss to UMA Dec. 3, Olivia McNally led the Owls with 14 points. Yendriga had 10 points and nine boards and Amanda Hotham came off the bench to post 10 points and seven rebounds.
On Sunday, UMPI dropped a 92-48 decision to Central Maine Community College in Auburn. Emily Pelletier was the only Owl player in double figures with 16 points.
