NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's basketball team opened the 2025-26 campaign with a tough loss to Norwich, falling 65-48 on the road.
The Basics:
- Final Score: 65-48 Norwich
- Location: Northfield, Vt. – Andrews Hall
- Records: 1-0 Norwich | 0-1 Castleton
How it Happened:
The first quarter was close, despite the Cadets jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the first two minutes of the game.
Maggie McKearin drained a three with 4:29 to go in the first, tying the game at 9-9. The Cadets pulled back out to a 17-11 lead with 1:28 to go, but Castleton's
Stasia Epler answered at the buzzer to keep the Spartans within one (17-19).
The Spartans' first score of the second quarter came with 7:28 left, as
Emily Adams nailed a layup, keeping the Spartans within six.
Bella Coombs found herself with a layup from Epler with one minute remaining, but Norwich stuck once more with 41 seconds left, leading 35-28 heading into the second half.
As the third stanza got underway, the Cadets led by as many as 15, before rookie
Kyrielle Deuso notched two free throws, cutting the lead to eight with 2:38 to go.
In one final push to keep the Cadets at bay,
Schuylar Nolan drained a jumper with 6:33 to go in the fourth quarter, keeping Norwich within nine (47-56). It was not enough as the Cadets went on a 9-0 run, and McKearin made one final push with a made free throw with less than 20 seconds remaining in the game.
By the Numbers:
- Deuso led the Spartans with 12 points in her debut, adding six rebounds and was 4-6 from the free throw line.
- Epler and Bella Coombs put up nine points and five rebounds each, as Epler dished out a team-high four assists.
- Adams led the team with seven rebounds.
What's Next
The squad returns to Castleton next weekend (November 15-16) as they host the Spartan Classic, featuring games against Hartwick College (November 15 at 4 p.m.) and Fisher College (November 16 at 2 p.m.).
