BANGOR, Maine – Maine Maritime Academy women's basketball fell to UMaine-Farmington 70-63 on Friday in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Semifinals inside of Newman Gymnasium.

With the loss the second seeded Mariners conclude their season at 20-6 overall, while the third seeded Beavers (14-13) advance to the NAC Championship against the top seed, Husson University, tomorrow at 2:00 pm.

How it Happened: The Beavers jumped out to an early 10-2 lead in the first quarter, but the Mariners battled back and cut the deficit to 15-11 entering the second quarter.

Maine Maritime took the lead early in the second quarter and began to pull away, building a nine-point lead (28-19) with 2:27 to play in the half. Farmington outscored the Mariners 6-2 in the closing minutes of the half to cut the Mariners' lead to five (30-25) at halftime.

The Mariners controlled the first five minutes of the third quarter, but the Beavers began their comeback with five-unanswered points to close the gap to 40-39 at 4:11 and took the lead, 45-42, on a three from Alex Bessey at 1:43. Eryn Doiron (Wilton, Maine) hit one from the line to close the gap to two (45-43) entering the fourth quarter.

The two teams battled back-and-fourth to start the fourth quarter, but Tia Day hit back-to-back threes to give the Beavers a 59-53 lead at 4:28. Mikayla Charters (Newport, Maine) hit a layup with 2:50 to go to cut Farmington's lead to three (62-59).

Bessey made one of two from the line on the Beavers' next possession and a jumper form Morgan Boudreau (Benton, Maine) trimmed the gap to two (63-61) at 2:07. The Beavers went on a six-point run to take a 69-61 lead with 31 seconds left. Maine Maritime's Lauren Plissey (Hermon, Maine) made a layup with 24 seconds to go, but the Beavers held on for the win.

Inside the Numbers: Plissey led the Mariners with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds, while also contributing three blocks, two assists and two steals and Charters added a double-double of her own with 11 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Bessey led the Beavers with a game-high 22 points, including going 17-of-20 from the line, while also adding three rebounds and an assist, Tia Day contributed 21 points, three rebounds and an assist and McKenna Brodeur tallied a double-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.

The Mariners shot 32.8 percent from the floor and 20.0 percent from beyond the arc, while the Beavers shot 39.6 percent overall and 38.9 percent from three-point land. The Mariners held a 37-33 edge in rebounds.