NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University women's basketball team built a 33-28 halftime lead but was unable to hold on, losing its season home opener to Plymouth State University, 61-54, on Thursday evening in Andrews Hall Gymnasium. 

Norwich (0-2) started the game on a 10-0 run in the first four minutes of the opening quarter capped by a layup by junior forward Caleigh Travers (Valley Cottage, N.Y.) who had four points during the run. Plymouth St. (2-0) cut the lead to 14-8 following a jumper by Keira Francis, but the Cadets' junior guard Julia Vigorito (Malden, Mass.) closed out the quarter converting an and-one play to take a 17-8 lead into the second quarter. 

After NU's junior guard Riley Bennett (Hopkinton, N.H.) hit a three-pointer to open the stanza and give the hosts a 20-8 lead, the visitors scored nine-straight points highlighted by five points from Brittany Roche to cut the deficit to 20-17. A made field goal from the Pathers' Alex Ricard brought the visitors within one at 24-23, but a trio of three-pointers from the Cadets helped them build the five-point cushion heading into the break. 

Travers and Vigorito led the Cadets with eight first-half points, while Roche netted five points to lead the visitors at the break. 

Plymouth's offense was ignited in the third quarter outscoring the hosts 24-11 thanks to some hot shooting as PSU nailed 10-of-15 shots including both of their threes in the period. Norwich conversely suffered through its worst shooting stretch of the game hitting just 3-of-12 shots and found itself suddenly trailing by eight, 52-44. Isabelle Earle had six points during the quarter for the Panthers while Vigorito supplied five points for the Cadets. 

Norwich would repeatedly cut the lead to six points, but could not get any closer as the visitors hit just enough of their free throws to maintain the lead. Earle and Autumn Nelson combined for all of the Panthers' points in the final period while the Cadets dispersed their scoring evenly among five different players. 

Vigorito led all scorers with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Bennett and Travers were the only other double-digit scorers for the Cadets with 12 and 10, respectively. Junior forward Kailynne Frederick (Adams, Mass.) tied for the game-high with seven boards while junior guard Emily Schromm (North Attleboro, Mass.) notched a career-high eight assists. 

Norwich will venture out on the road for its next contest when the team travels to Trinity (Conn.) on Monday with tip-off time set for 7 p.m.