CASTLETON, Vt. – The Castleton women's basketball team took an early lead and never looked back in a 62-43 win over Colby-Sawyer at Glenbrook Gym on Wednesday night.
 
The Spartans (5-2) got off to a hot start, scoring the first seven points of the game behind buckets from three different players. Colby-Sawyer (2-4) cashed in a three to stop the scoring streak, but Castleton answered with four more points on baskets from Kelly Vuz and Gwyn Tatton. Baskets from Liz Bailey and Elise Magro extended the lead to 15-6 before Tatton hit a pair of free throws for a double-digit edge, 17-6. The Chargers closed the quarter strong, outscoring Castleton 8-2 over the final 4:25.
 
Castleton's offensive skid continued into the second quarter, pushing its scoreless streak to nearly six full minutes before Vuz put the Spartans back on the board with a layup. Bailey followed with a layup of her own before Magro hit 1-of-2 at the line for a 24-16 lead three minutes into the quarter. The two sides traded scores the rest of the way to the halftime break with Castleton leading 33-24 at the midway mark.
 
Castleton opened the second half on a seven-point run as well, With points from Magro, Bailey and Vuz in the stretch. After the two sides went back-and-forth in the middle portion of the third quarter, Castleton ended the frame on an 8-0 run to take a 21-point edge into the final 10 minutes, 54-33.
 
Colby-Sawyer worked to whittle away at the lead in the final stanza, but Castleton kept the Chargers at a distance, closing out the night with the 19-point victory.
 
Magro led all scorers with 17 points, followed by Vuz with 13 and Bailey with 11. Bailey had a team-high eight rebounds while Tatton added seven boards. Magro dished out five assists. Felicia Poirier had eight points and a pair of blocks.
 
Coutney Brewster led Colby-Sawyer with 11 points and Marissa Holt, Megan Molettieri and Emily Parent had eight apiece. Elyza Mitchell led all players with nine rebounds in addition to her seven points.
 
Castleton shot 40.9 percent from the floor (27-of-66) but struggled from three, making just 2-of-17. Colby-Sawyer hit just 15-of-52 (28.8 percent) on the night but connected on 7-of-26 from three-point range (26.9 percent). Rebounds were nearly even with the Chargers grabbing a 41-40 edge, but Colby-Sawyer committed 24 turnovers to Castleton's 11 which led to a 25-7 edge for the Spartans in points off turnovers.
 
Castleton returns to action Saturday at 2 p.m. when it opens Little East Conference play at home against Rhode Island College.