GORHAM, Maine – The Vermont State University Castleton women's basketball team battled with the 25th-ranked Huskies of Southern Maine as they closed out the 2025-26 season on Saturday. The Spartans held their own against Southern Maine, falling 70-63.
Schuylar Nolan grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds during the contest.
The Basics:
- Final Score: 70-63 Southern Maine
- Location: Gorham, Maine – Hill Gym
- Records: 23-2 (15-1 LEC) Southern Maine | 7-18 (3-13 LEC) Castleton
How it Happened:
The Spartans found themselves on the wrong end of a 7-0 run before
Emily Adams drained a layup from Nolan to put Castleton on the board. Adams notched the Spartans final bucket of the first quarter as she put up nine of the team's 13 points as Castleton trailed 20-13.
Both teams intensified their defensive pressure in the second quarter, combining for 25 points.
Maggie McKearin knocked down a three as she worked to cut the lead to five (23-18) followed by a good layup from
Arianna Coombs, which pulled Castleton within three (23-20). With two minutes left in the first half, the Huskies pulled ahead by 14 for their largest lead yet as both teams were plagued by turnovers and missed shots in the final two minutes of the second quarter.
The Huskies reached a 20-point lead less than two minutes into the third frame as the Spartans slowly chipped away, starting with a layup from A. Coombs (42-24).
Stasia Epler drained a three-pointer with one and a half minutes left for her seventh point of the quarter as Castleton trailed 49-35. Adams finished the quarter with a made free throw and a jump shot from McKearin to cut the deficit to 11 (49-38) as time expired in the third.
Adams and A. Coombs combined for 19 of Castleton's 25 points in the fourth quarter as they outscored Southern Maine 25-21. The pair strung together nine points in two minutes as the Spartans went on a 9-4 run, pulling within seven (54-47) with seven minutes to play. Epler and Adams made back-to-back layups as Castleton was now down three (54-51) before the Huskies answered with a three-pointer. With three minutes to go, A. Coombs drained two free throws, getting the Spartans within four (63-59), but the Huskies pulled away as time expired, taking the 70-63 victory.
By the Numbers:
- Adams scored 23 points with five rebounds.
- A. Coombs posted 18 points, adding eight rebounds.
- Nolan grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds, dishing out a team-high seven assists.
The team concluded the 2025-26 season with an overall record of 7-18 and a Little East Conference record of 3-13.
