Philadelphia, PA -- Anne Simon registered career-highs in both points (23) and rebounds (8) as the Black Bears fell in their final non-conference game of the regular season 70-57, at Drexel on Monday evening.

Simon finished the contest 10-of-17 from the floor with a pair of triples and two assists in her career night, narrowly missing her first career double-double. The point total marked the third consecutive game, and the fifth in her last six, in which Simon has posted double-digit scoring efforts.

Dor Saar added 12 points, four rebounds and four assists, her third time in double-figures in her last four outings, while Kelly Fogarty earned the start and added eight points with a pair of triples.

Bailey Greenberg led all scorers with 32 points on 13-of-20 shooting for the Dragons.

Drexel, which outrebounded Maine 20-7 in the second half, outscored the Black Bears 48-22 in the paint and controlled the overall rebounding battle, pulling down 38 boards to Maine's 24. Drexel's 14 offensive rebounds led to a 17-9 advantage in second chance points.

The game, which featured seven ties and six lead changes in the first half, was even through the first. Maine snatched a three point edge on a triple from Simon and maintained its lead on Saar's jumper with 6:13 left in the first quarter. Drexel answered with a 6-0 run to take a three point lead of its own before Maine closed out the quarter with four points from Simon to enter the second knotted at 14-all.

Maddy McVicar's triple broke the seventh tie of the half before another trey, this one from Saar, completed a 6-2 run for the Black Bears. The sprint gave Maine its largest lead of the game, 27-23, with 2:14 left in the half.

Drexel closed out the second quarter on a 7-0 run to carry a 32-29 edge into the break.

Maine was outscored 20-12 in the third period. After Simon began the second half with a short jumper, Drexel responded with a 13-2 run, pushing its lead to double-digits at 45-33.

The Drexel advantage would reach 13 before Maine entered the fourth trailing 52-41 after Saar's buzzer beater ended the third.

Maine continued to fight, staging a 8-1 run to start the fourth. A free throw from Greenberg started the fourth quarter scoring before Simon's jumper started Maine's sprint. Back-to-back triples from Saar and Anna Kahelin brought Maine back to within four with 7:16 to play.

However, it would be as close as Maine would get. Drexel answered Maine's run with a 8-0 jaunt of its own before closing out the victory, 70-57.

Maine begins America East play on Thursday, Jan. 2 when it hosts Hartford in a rematch of last season's America East championship. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m., following the men's contest with Columbia. Tickets for Maine's conference opener may be purchased at TicketMaster.com or in-person at the Cross Insurance Center box office.

-UMaine-