CASTLETON, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's basketball team fell in a heartbreaking Little East Conference matchup against UMass Dartmouth, 78-73, Saturday afternoon.
Arianna Coombs tied her career-high 21 points, while
Schuylar Nolan scored a career-high 17 points.
The Basics:
- Final Score: 78-73 UMass Dartmouth
- Location: Castleton, Vt. – Glenbrook Gym
- Records: 7-11 (4-5 LEC) UMass Dartmouth | 5-12 (1-8 LEC) Castleton
How it Happened:
The Spartans came out hot in the first quarter, outscoring the Corsairs 26-22 through the first 10 minutes. After UMass Dartmouth tied the game at eight with six and a half minutes to play,
Stasia Epler immediately responded with a three-pointer that put Castleton up by one. Building on that momentum, the Spartans jumped out to an eight-point lead with two minutes to go on a good layup by
Arianna Coombs (24-16). However, UMass Dartmouth closed the gap by scoring the last two buckets of the quarter, leaving the Spartans up 26-22 heading into the second.
The Corsairs came back in the second frame, outscoring Castleton 19-12, but the Spartans stuck with them. UMass Dartmouth tied the game at 36 with three minutes to go in the first half, before taking a three-point lead to end the half, with Castleton down 41-38.
The Corsairs jumped out to a 15-point lead four minutes into the third quarter (53-38) as the Spartans had their work cut out for them.
Emily Adams and
Maggie McKearin combined for eight of Castleton's 10 points in a four-minute time period, working to chip away at the Corsairs' lead. Nolan knocked down two free throws, adding a layup right after, bringing the Spartans within one (53-52) with two minutes left in the third frame. UMass Dartmouth added a three-pointer to end the quarter with a 55-52 lead.
The Spartans found themselves down 12 (68-56) with six minutes left in the game, as Adams and Nolan chipped away at the lead yet again. Three points from
Arianna Coombs and another three-pointer by Epler brought the Spartans within three (76-73) with 38 seconds remaining. UMass Dartmouth tacked on two free throws, taking the 78-73 win.
By the Numbers:
- Arianna Coombs led the offensive charge for the Spartans with her fourth double-double of the season, tying her career-high 21 points, and adding 11 rebounds.
- Adams chipped in 19 points, with three rebounds.
- Nolan added a career-high 17 points, with seven rebounds, and a team-high five assists.
- McKearin added a team-high three steals, with two back-to-back, 10 points, and four rebounds.
What's Next
The team heads to Keene State for another LEC matchup on Tuesday, January 27, with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m.
