NORTHFIELD, Vt. –  The Norwich women's basketball team hit a roadblock in the first and fourth quarters scoring just six combined points in a 63-40 loss to Lasell University in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Tuesday evening at Andrews Gymnasium.

Despite opening the game on a cold streak, the Norwich (3-10, 0-2 GNAC) defense held the opposition in check surrendering just 13 points in the first quarter.

That allowed the offense time to right itself and mount a comeback. After trailing 13-4 heading into the second period, the Cadets started to find the range at the start of the quarter. In a three-minute span, the hosts outscored Lasell (7-6, 1-1 GNAC) 7-0 to inch back into the game, 13-11. After enduring a small run by the visitors which led to a 21-13 deficit, Norwich ended the period on a 5-2 run to whittle the lead down to 23-18 at the half.

Defensively, Norwich was able to hold the GNAC's leading scorer Amanda Ortiz to just five points which led the visitors at the break. The Cadets leading scorers at the half were junior forward Kailynne Frederick (Adams, Mass.) and junior forward Caileigh Travers (Valley Cottage, N.Y.) who each had five points as well.

Both teams emerged from the break getting better offensive looks at the basket which resulted in each team shooting north of 50 percent from the floor in the third quarter. The Lasers' lead fluctuated between three and ten points throughout the third quarter as the hosts were unable to manufacture any sustained runs to eliminate the deficit. The Cadets relied heavily on the production of Frederick whose 4-for-4 performance from the field and 3-for-3 line at the charity stripe resulted in 11 of her team-leading 16 points.

Lasell turned up the defensive intensity in the fourth quarter creating several easy buckets coming off of Norwich turnovers. The Cadets shot just 1-of-15 in the final quarter and missed on all four three-point attempts late as the Lasers cruised to victory down the stretch.

Turnovers were costly for the Cadets in the loss as their 24 turnovers led directly to 24 Laser points. The Cadets crashed the offensive hard in the contest registering 18 offensive boards which tied their highest output of the season. Those offensive boards led to 13 second-chance points compared to just eight for the Lasers.

Aside from Frederick's 16 points, the junior also added six rebounds and three steals. Senior forward KristieAnn DeSilvio (Chelmsford, Mass.) contributed eight points while Travers led the reserves with five points and tied junior guard Julia Vigorito (Malden, Mass.) for the team lead in rebounds with eight.

Norwich returns to the court on Saturday when it travels to Connecticut to battle GNAC rival St. Joseph at 1 p.m.