AUGUSTA — The University of Maine at Augusta women’s basketball team and coach Jennifer Laney have already reconciled themselves to life after Jamie Plummer.
The former Richmond High standout completed an historic four-year career for the Moose last season in which she raised the team to new heights while earning three straight United States Collegiate Athletic Association Division II first-team All-America selections.
“For the last four years, she was our mental and physical leader on the court,” Laney said. “Any time a player like that graduates you’re certainly going to have a talent void.”
That doesn’t mean the Moose are void of talent, though. They’re off to a 2-1 start with a nine-member team that includes four freshmen and three sophomores.
“They’re finding their roles,” Laney said. “We’ve got some really good vocal leadership on and off the court. So those voids are being filled.”
Wednesday night, the Moose suffered their first loss — to Central Maine Community College, the defending USCAA national champions. They hung with the Mustangs for three periods but ran out of gas in the fourth as CMCC wore them down with constant pressure, bigger players and more of them.
UMA suited just eight players for the game and the pace eventually caught up to them.
“I don’t think we need a lot of bodies,” sophomore guard Dominique Lewis said. “We have one senior, our captain Carmen (Bragg). But other than that, we’re young. We’re just getting a feel for how each other’s working. It’s only the third game.”
Lewis, the point guard on Lawrence’s state championship team in 2015, is part of a contingent of central Maine talent on the team. She scored 35 points and set a school record with 11 3-pointers in the team’s opening win against Vermont Tech..
“There’s not one person on the court that can’t score and that’s very helpful for us,” she said.
The Moose are loaded with guards, including freshman Sidney Moore (Nokomis), Emily Billings (Milton Township), Catherine Sanborn (Maranacook/Kents Hill), Lewis, sophomore Kylie Kemp (Monmouth) and Bragg, who played on several state championship teams at Washburn.
Moore, Bragg and Lewis start in the backcourt.
“All three of them are knock-down three-point shooters,” Laney said.
The Moose don’t have much size. Junior Caitlin LaFountain (Mt. Ararat) and Kate Stevens (Carrabec) are the team’s tallest players at 5-foot-10. Freshman Mallory Chamberlain (Erskine), who didn’t suit for Wednesday’s game, also will see action in the front and back court.
LaFountain is off to a strong start, averaging 20.7 points per game on 58.8 shooting from the floor. She’s also averaging 15 rebounds and 4.3 blocked shots per game.
“She’s smart, very smart,” Laney said.
Laney has commitments from two more players after the holiday break but is happy with the squad she has now. The Moose play home games at the Augusta Civic Center and hold their practices at the Augusta Armory. They play in the Yankee Small College Conference, which includes CMCC and Southern Maine Community College among their tougher opponents. Conference winners get a chance to play in the USCAA tournament.
“We didn’t make it to nationals last year so our goal is to make it there,” Lewis said. “I think we have a lot more potential than we did last year.”
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