WATERVILLE, Maine – The Spartans didn't allow Thomas to score more than nine points in any quarter and held a 21-point lead after the first quarter on the way to a 65-27 victory Friday evening in Maine. 

Castleton limited an opponent to just 27 points for the second straight game and 13.6 percent shooting overall to improve to 16-4 overall and 11-2 in the North Atlantic Conference. The Spartans shot 37.7 percent and held an emphatic 57-33 rebounding edge. The Terriers, meanwhile, had 22 turnovers as they dropped to 2-18 and 1-12 in conference play. 

Sophomore Makayla Farrara led the balanced scoring attack with 14 points, four rebounds and one steal while Jade Desroches added 12 points, two rebounds and two assists. Morgan Raiche came off the bench to supply eight points, four offensive rebounds and two assists while Ajla Medic chipped in with eight points on 3-for-3 shooting in seven minutes. 

Senior Katie McAllister was the only Thomas player in double figures with ten points and five rebounds, while Ashleigh Gagne had eight points and five rebounds. Jordan Agger-Barnes chipped in six rebounds and two points. 

Leading just 4-2 in the opening minutes, the Spartans broke the game open by scoring the next 15 points for a 19-2 advantage with 2:39 remaining. Thomas managed to cut the deficit to 17, before Farrara connected on a triple and then late a free throw for a 26-5 advantage at the end of the period. 

Bryanna duPont led off the scoring in the second and Desroches pushed it to 30-5 at 5:55. The Terriers went on 5-0 spurt to pull within 20, but the Spartans scored the final six points for a 36-10 lead at the break. 

In the third, duPont and Amanda Beatty stretched the lead to 40-10 and the two teams traded baskets over the final seven minutes of the quarter. Farrara scored the first five points of the fourth to make it 51-18, and Castleton eventually pushed its lead as high as 38 points on a triple by Medic and then 39 on a basket in the last 1:15 before concluding with the 65-27 victory.

duPont finished with a team-high nine rebounds and six points while Taylor Raiche grabbed eight boards.

The Spartans return to action on Saturday at 1 pm when they play U. of Maine Farmington.