NEW LONDON, N.H. – The Castleton bench exploded for 50 points to lead the team to a 62-44 road victory over Colby-Sawyer on Thursday evening in Coffin Field House. 

Sophomores accounted for 47 of the 50 bench points, including career-highs of 21 points apiece from Amanda Beatty and Makayla Farrara. Beatty had 17 points in the first half and finished with 21 to go with eight rebounds and one block. Farrara, meanwhile, finished 4-for-5 from downtown while adding one steal and one block to go with her 21 points. Senior Bryanna duPont added four points, six rebounds and five steals. 

As a team Castleton shot 42.3 percent from the floor, went 7-for-12 from downtown and scored 30 points off turnovers to improve to 10-3 on the year and 6-1 in the North Atlantic Conference. The Chargers, meanwhile, shot 31.0 percent from the field and made six of 12 three-point attempts but turned the ball over 30 times as they dropped to 7-5 and 4-2 in conference action 

Jessica Shenkel was the only Colby-Sawyer player in double figures, with 17 points and four steals. Lexi Iannone added nine points and one rebound while no other Charger scored more than four points. 

The Spartans were held scoreless for the first three minutes, before sophomore Taylor Raiche scored at 6:53 and then Beatty made a layup one minute later for the 4-3 advantage. Castleton continued to stay in front and another Beatty layup gave them an 11-7 lead with 2:23 left. Farrara pushed the lead to 13-7, before a 4-0 spurt by Colby-Sawyer made it just 13-11 at the end of the period. 

Shenkel put the Chargers in front 14-13 just 47 seconds into the second and the teams traded baskets over the next three minutes. Beatty gave Castleton an 18-17 lead at 6:16 and Farrara went on a personal 5-3 run for the 24-20 advantage with 3:49 left. Colby-Sawyer cut the lead to three points in the final two minutes but Beatty connected on a pair of free throws for the 32-27 advantage at the break. 

The third quarter was all Spartans as they outscored the Chargers 17-5 and held them without a field goal in the period to extend their lead to 49-32 entering the fourth. Farrara pushed the Castleton lead to 21 points, 54-33, 2:28 into the final period. The lead climbed as high as 23 points on a Mariah Linnett three from the corner with 4:40 before four late Colby-Sawyer points provided the 62-44 final.

Castleton returns to action on Saturday when the team hosts New England College at 1 pm in Glenbrook Gym.