CASTLETON, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's basketball team secured an 83-70 victory over the University of Massachusetts Boston on Wednesday evening, earning their second Little East Conference win of the season.

Junior Emily Adams led the charge, scoring a career-high 34 points. She shot 13-23 from the field and 8-12 from the free-throw line, nearly posting a double-double with nine rebounds. Luna Perry-St. Peter also delivered a strong performance, recording her first double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds, along with one block and one steal.  Emily Dingmon (12) and Stasia Epler (11) contributed to the well-rounded team effort.

Adams got things started for Castleton, scoring six of the Spartans' first eight points to help the team take an early 8-6 lead. The teams traded baskets throughout the opening quarter, with the score tied at 13-all after 10 minutes. The second quarter followed a similar pattern, with the lead changing hands six times and the score tied five times. Castleton took control late in the period with two unanswered baskets in the final 49 seconds, going into halftime with a narrow 32-30 lead. A key defensive play by Arianna Coombs, who blocked a UMB shot with nine seconds remaining, helped preserve the advantage.

The Spartans extended their lead in the third quarter, reaching a 12-point advantage at 57-45 after Dingmon's successful free throws with 2:04 left, prompting a timeout from UMass Boston. Though the Deacons answered with a layup coming out of the timeout, they were unable to generate a significant run, and Castleton led 62-52 heading into the final quarter. The Spartans maintained their lead throughout the fourth, cruising to an 83-70 victory.

Castleton will look to build on this momentum when they travel to Rhode Island College for a 12 p.m. conference matchup on Saturday.