NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Fans gathered at Andrews Hall for Saturday's twinbill against Saint Joseph's College of Maine. In the first meeting of the afternoon, the Norwich women's basketball team faced a 68-59 setback to the Monks.

Leading Norwich (14-6, 6-2 GNAC) were senior co-captains Laurel McWilliams and Christine Daniels, both who recorded double-doubles in the conference game. Daniels led with 28 points, 12 boards and four assists, while McWilliams grabbed 13 off the glass and made 10 points. The classmates also had two steals apiece in the action.

For Saint Joseph's (13-7, 5-2 GNAC), the junior class led the Monks in battle, with Ashley Geel recording a double-double with 16 points and 13 boards. Megan McDevitt put up 15 points while Allison Parent scored 10. Geel was a key player in the Monks win, coming up with six blocks and shooting 8-of-14 on the day.

The visiting Monks jumped ahead and controlled the pace of the game for the first six minutes of action. Norwich soon found their rhythm and a Daniels' layup tied the game at 14-all around the 13-minute mark.

The game continued to go back and forth, as Saint Joseph's soon held the lead again before McWilliams put one in on a fast break to pull away from another tied score. Daniels and McWilliams continued to make big plays at big moments, as each one of them were responsible for breaking a tie on five occasions throughout the first half.

With such evenly matched competition between the two conference rivals, it seemed as though the team who came out the hardest in the second half would control the pace of the game and earn the win.

The second half proved just that, as the Monks never surrendered the lead they worked so hard to attain before halftime, keeping the Cadets scoreless for the first five minutes of play. Norwich came within seven points midway through the half, but the closest difference thereafter came with the final spread of nine points.

The Cadets will hit the road for their next GNAC game at Rivier, tipping off against the Raiders at 7 p.m. at the Muldoon Fitness Center.

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