NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Despite a first quarter that saw only 10 points scored between both teams, the Norwich University women's basketball team held on for a 52-47 victory over visiting Castleton University on Tuesday. 

Norwich finishes the first semester of the 2016-17 season with a 6-3 overall record following the non-league tilt against Castleton. The Spartans pick up only their second loss in eight overall games this season. 

Senior Kayla Mercer (New Britain, Conn.) scored a career-high 20 points in the contest, pouring home five clutch three-point baskets in a game that saw four lead changes. Senior Heather LeBlanc (Sanford, Maine) fought through early adversity to finish with 14 points and seven rebounds while junior Shyann Josler (Thetford Center, Vt.) handed out six assists and made all eight shots from the charity stripe. 

Junior Arianna Harrison (Vernon, Vt.) reeled in a team-leading nine rebounds and scored seven points while finishing second on the squad with five assists. Senior Leanne Winans (Hudson, N.H.) also helped the Cadets own a 41-to-30 advantage in rebounding, collecting seven to match LeBlanc's effort on the glass. 

A Mercer triple opened the scoring with 5:56 to go in the first quarter, but four-straight Castleton points granted the visitors a 4-3 lead with 2:02 remaining. Mercer added a foul shot with 57 seconds left, but an Alexis Quenneville jumper with 41 ticks remaining on the scoreboard elevated the Spartans to a 6-4 lead following the first quarter of action. 

Norwich captured the lead for good in the second quarter as Mercer once again launched a triple, creating a one-point advantage. Despite back-to-back free throw makes by Castleton's Morgan Raiche, Norwich captured the lead once again following LeBlanc's two free throws after a Raiche foul with 7:13 left in the first half. 

Ahead by a 12-10 score with 6:50 left, LeBlanc and Harrison posted layups before a trey from Josler forced a Castleton timeout. Leading by a 19-12 margin at that point with 3:02 to go, another Mercer shot from beyond the arc was matched by Quenneville to maintain a seven-point Cadets advantage at the break. 

The Cadets grew their lead to 13 points with 9:05 to go in the fourth quarter but, to the credit of Castleton, the lead was not safe. Persistent offensive pressure by the Spartans defense forced the Cadets into several turnovers down the stretch and, eventually, late free throws by Castleton shrunk the lead to 51-47 with five second left. 

Forced to foul, Mercer made the back-end of two foul shots before a turnover by Taylor Raiche on a long inbounds pass secured the thrilling victory for the Cadets, their 23rd win against the Spartans since the inaugural season of Norwich women's basketball in 1975-76. 

Makayla Farrara and Ashlie Fay finished with nine points, leading Castleton in scoring. Lindsay Sabo and Amanda Beatty tallied eight apiece, combining for seven of their team's eight assists in the tilt. The Spartans finished by shooting only 25.5% in the tilt, making 13 of 51 shots from the floor, but capitalized from the free throw line, making 17-of-19 shots. 

Norwich returns to action Saturday, Jan. 7 as it takes on Saint Joseph's (Maine) at 1 p.m. on the road to begin the second semester of action.