DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—The Norwich University women's basketball team dropped a 67-53 non-conference decision to the Lions of Albright College in the Cadets' first game at the 2012 Land of Magic Classic hosted by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

With the loss, the Cadets fall to 4-6 on the season, while the win improves the Lions to 5-4 overall.

Sophomore guard Aliah Curry (Windsor, Mass.) paced the Cadets with a team-high 14 points, while junior Kristin Brown (Williamstown, Vt.) added eight points and senior Jessalyn Sweeney (Stanfordville, N.Y.) added seven points.  Kristine Brammer (Littleton, N.H.) posted a team-high 12 rebounds for Norwich.

The Lions were led by Jessica Venturelli with a game-high 21 points. Meghan Boyle added 13 points and Kari Ludy contributed 10.  Kadijah Bishop posted a game-high 16 rebounds off the bench for Albright.

The Cadets would keep it close in the first half as they knotted the score five times in the 15 minutes of the game but were unable to control the lead.  A jumper by Sheridan Steiner (Lafayette, Ind.) would bring the score to 28-28 with 4:21 to play, but the Lions held the advantage for the rest of the half and took a 36-31 edge into halftime.

Albright would shoot 62 percent from the floor in the first half on 13-21 shooting, but the Cadets would post one more field goal in the stanza, connecting on 14-of-37 field goal attempts.  A seven-to-one advantage from the free-throw line gave the Lions the advantage in the half.

The Lions held Norwich to just eight field goals in the second half and connected on 13 en route to the 67-53 win. 

Norwich will return to action tomorrow in the second day of action at the Land of Magic Classic.  The Cadets will take on Averett at 10:00 a.m.