Being undefeated in the second week of January is an impressive feat in any college sport, at any level. It’s an even more staggering accomplishment if you’re only a fourth-year varsity program.

With two Hebron Academy graduates making major contributions, rising women’s hockey power Saint Anselm College of Manchester, N.H., is a stout 12-0 entering its most important weekend series of the winter to date in ECAC East.

Daniella Lyons of Greene has made an immediate splash in her first season. The 5-foot-2 freshman sees time both up front and along the blue line for the Hawks.

Lyons is fifth on the team with 11 points through her first 11 games. She scored the game-winning goal Nov. 22 against New England College and also lit the lamp Dec. 2 versus MIT.

Another Hebron product is considered an All-America candidate on defense. Cindy Lebel of Greenville has amassed five goals and four assists in only six games.

She led the Hawks with 38 points last season and was named ECAC East Player of the Year.

Up next for Saint Anselm: A weekend trip to Rochester, N.Y., for a two-game series against fellow unbeaten and conference rival Rochester Institute of Technology.

Durgin delivers again

The senior superlatives continue to pile up at Rhode Island College for Kinsey Durgin of Greenwood (Telstar Regional High School).

In addition to scoring his 1,000th career point, the men’s basketball standout was named Little East Conference Player of the Week for his efforts in the first seven-day stretch of the new year.

Durgin surpassed the milestone with 17 points in an 88-80 victory over Bridgewater State.

He became the 27th men’s player in RIC history to hit the mark. Durgin also hauled in 11 rebounds to complete his first double-double of the season.

RIC completed the week with an 87-79 overtime triumph over Eastern Connecticut. Durgin scored 12 points.

This week, Durgin registered 13 points and seven rebounds in an 87-69 victory over Southern Maine.

It was Durgin’s sixth straight game scoring in double figures and his ninth of the season. The Anchormen (11-1) are off to their best start in 36 years.

Terrier terror

If University of Maine at Fort Kent women’s basketball players suffered from nightmares Tuesday night, they probably involved the sight of Kim Drosdik of Farmington (Mt. Blue) standing behind the 3-point arc and awaiting the ball.

Drosdik drained seven 3-pointers, accounting for most of her 23 points in an 83-45 blowout of the Bengals. Thomas has won six straight games after an 0-5 start.

The performance continued a sensational senior season for Drosdik, who is averaging 16.2 points per game.

She is the Terriers’ runaway leader with 45 3-pointers and is connecting at an 86 percent clip from the free-throw line.

Showdown weekend for Bates

How good is the Bates College men’s basketball team?

The Bobcats have achieved their highest ranking ever in the D3Hoops.com poll – 12th to start the week. But the true test of where Bates stands nationally will come at week’s end.

Bates (11-0) is preparing for a huge New England Small College Athletic Conference doubleheader at Alumni Gym. The Bobcats host Trinity (11-1) at 7 p.m. Friday before welcoming No. 2 Amherst (12-0) to town at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Amherst and Bates are two of the three remaining undefeated men’s teams in NCAA Division III.

The Lord Jeffs were national runner-up last March, falling to Virginia Wesleyan in the Division III championship.

Bates’ senior tandem of Rob Stockwell and Zak Ray leads NESCAC’s four major individual categories.

Stockwell is averaging 18.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per contest, while Bangor’s Ray checks in with 6.6 assists and 2.9 steals per game.


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