NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Led by senior Heather LeBlanc (Sanford, Maine) and her 17 points, the Norwich University women's basketball team captured a 68-48 victory over the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on Thursday. 

The Cadets improve to 7-5 overall on the season and to 3-2 within Great Northeast Athletic Conference play. The Blue Jays drop to 5-7 on the year and remain in search of their first conference win (0-4). 

LeBlanc shot 7-for-10 from the floor, scoring 17 points, while junior Arianna Harrison (Vernon, Vt.) ranked second with 13 points scored, handing out helpers on six baskets. Sophomore Vanessa Fleury (Lebanon, N.H.) scored 11 points off the bench for Norwich, who shot 43.5% (27-for-62) to fall just short of a season-high field goal percentage. 

The Cadets never trailed during regulation time, opening up a quick 11-6 lead through the game's first 3:37. After the Blue Jays tied the game at 11 following a 5-0 scoring run, the Cadets jumped out in front in the second quarter using 12-straight points to ultimately take a 39-24 lead heading into halftime. 

Ahead by only 11 points with 3:55 to go in the third quarter, Norwich put the game out of reach using four-straight baskets from LeBlanc, Fleury, Josler and Harrison to create a 55-36 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of action. In the fourth quarter, a triple from sophomore Victoria Brown (Lexington, Mass.) put Norwich ahead by a 65-43 score with only 3:50 left in regulation time. 

Late in the final stanza, the Cadets saw freshman Sara Bradley (Sunnyside, N.Y.) score her first collegiate points by making 3-of-4 free throws. Classmate KristieAnn DeSilvio (Chelmsford, Mass.) also helped Norwich maintain its lead, hauling in three offensive rebounds to lead the team in that statistic. 

Kayla Guest led the Blue Jays with 18 points and eight rebounds. Carlee Putnam posted two steals and also notched 11 points, finishing second on the squad. Rajeen Mayo assisted six of her team's 21 field goals on the evening. 

Norwich hits the road on Saturday, Jan. 14, taking on Simmons at 1 p.m. in a GNAC contest.