Box Score 

CASTLETON, Vt. - Christine Jaques pumped in a game-high 25 points, and Katie Hoxsie added 16 points as Castleton State College defeated Norwich University, 72-69, in a non-conference women's basketball game Thursday night at Glenbrook Gymnasium.

Vanessa Powers added 13 points for the Spartans, who improve to 7-5 on the season.

Senior F Jess Jaggars posted a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds to lead Norwich (10-4). Senior G Ally Daniels chipped in 15 points, while senior G Natalie Marchese contributed 13. Senior/junior F Laurel McWilliams scored 10 points off the bench for NU.

Castleton took a 27-20 lead into the intermission thanks in large part to a 6-of-11 performance from beyond the three-point arc and a stifling defense that forced 14 NU turnovers. Jaques spurred the Spartan offense in the first half, canning 4-of-6 from three-point land.

Norwich wasted little time in erasing the deficit, however, as the Cadets reeled off seven-straight points over the opening two minutes of the second half to pull even at 27-all. Marchese keyed the surge, assisting on the opening jumper by Daniels and scoring the next five points in succession.

After a Castleton timeout, Kristie Dunchus scored to grab the lead back for the Spartans. Norwich pulled even at 32-32 on another three by Marchese, but Megan Johnson answered on the next trip to give Castleton a lead it did not relinquish. The Spartan lead swelled to as many as 11 with five minutes remaining, but a late Norwich surge brought the game back within reach at 69-64 with 1:26 remaining. Jaques made one-of-two free throws to push the lead to six, but three straight points from Jaggars made it 70-67 with 22 seconds left in the contest. Tarryn Bolognani made two free throws with 13 seconds left to salt the game away.

Norwich will resume its Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) slate on Saturday, Jan. 16, when the Cadets host Simmons College at Andrews Hall. Tip-off for the league game is scheduled for 1 p.m.