WATERVILLE – The Colby women’s basketball team extended its best season ever for 10 extra minutes Saturday night at Wadsworth Gymnasium but couldn’t quite keep it going for at least one more game.
The White Mules climbed out of an early hole and matched Babson basket for basket before falling 76-73 in double overtime in the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament.
Colby nearly sent to the game to a third overtime, but Julianne Kowalski’s 3-point attempt with two seconds left bounced off the front rim.
Babson (27-3) advanced to the Round of 16, while Colby finished at 24-5 — a school record for wins.
“Coming into the season we all had confidence in one another as a team,” sophomore forward and Cony High graduate Rachael Mack said. “We knew that we were going to be good.”
The Mules led 52-42 with just over seven minutes left in regulation following a three-point play by freshman Diana Manduca. The Deering High graduate finished with 16 points and gave the Mules a lift off the bench after they fell behind 15-2. She forced a half dozen turnovers and was sorely missed after she fouled out late in regulation.
“She gives us a real penetrating presence that we lost when she went out,” Colby Coach Lori gear McBride said. “It was a tough loss for us.”
Colby send the game to overtime when Kowalski made one of two free throws to tie the game at 59.
Colby’s leading scorer, Alison Cappelloni, went scoreless in the second half after scoring 13 points in the first half. But the senior forward came to life again in the first overtime, scoring seven points and giving the Mules a 68-66 lead with a pair of free throws with 26 seconds left.
Kathleen King answered with a layup to tie the game at 68, and the Beavers made 5 of 6 free throws in the second overtime.
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