CASTLETON, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's lacrosse team fell to in-state rival Norwich on Wednesday night, dropping a 17-7 contest at Dave Wolk Stadium.
 
The Cadets (4-2) outshot Castleton (0-7) 38-25 overall and 29-17 on goal. Draw controls and ground balls were even in the contest, with both sides snagging 28 ground balls and 13 draw controls. The Spartans and Cadets each scored thrice on free-position shots as well.
 
Gianna Geraci and Kimberly McCarthy had two goals apiece while Megan Ward stuffed the stat sheet with a goal, an assist, nine ground balls, eight draw controls and five caused turnovers. Geraci also had a strong day on defense, grabbing seven ground balls and causing three turnovers. Phoebe Loomis and Kailyn August added goals as well. Liv Cormier made a dozen saves in the contest in goal.
 
Norwich's Athena Merck had a game-high four goals while Caitlyn Fielder had a pair of goals and four assists for six points. Quinn Mustone added a hat-trick as well for the Cadets. Maeve Noble-Lowe stopped 10 shots in the win.
 
August opened the scoring for the day with her first goal of the season less than two minutes into the contest before Loomis doubled the lead to 2-0 just 33 seconds later. Geraci made it 3-0 Spartans with 11 minutes to play in the opening quarter, but the Cadets rallied and turned on the offense from there. Norwich scored five straight goals to end the quarter ahead 5-3 and tacked on three more to open the second quarter for an 8-3 lead. Geraci stopped the run with her second goal to move ahead 8-4 but Norwich scored twice more before halftime for a 10-4 lead at the break.
 
Mustone extended it to 11-4 early in the third quarter before McCarthy scored back-to-back goals to make it an 11-6 game. Four more Cadet tallies put the game out of reach, but Ward scored early in the fourth for the Spartans' final goal in the contest.
 
VTSU Castleton returns home on Saturday for a Little East Conference tilt with Rhode Island College at 2 p.m.