NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University women's basketball team fell in the back end of the season series to Castleton University, 57-42, on Wednesday evening at Andrews Gym. 

Norwich (3-2) battled through two extended periods without a field goal at the end of the second and fourth quarters to prevent it from keeping pace with the Castleton (3-6) offense. 

The two teams traded baskets throughout the opening quarter with Castleton getting on the board first courtesy of a pair of free throws from freshman Taylor Goodell. Norwich answered right back on the next possession netting a three-pointer from senior Emily Schromm (North Attleboro, Mass.). 

Castleton took a 7-3 lead following a trey from Goodell. However, that spurred on a Cadet 7-0 run capped by a triple from freshman Toni Adipietro (Bloomingburg, N.Y.) as the hosts earned a 10-7 lead at the midway point of the period. 

The teams would trade baskets until the visitors' senior Brooke Raiche poured in the final four points of the stanza to send them into the second quarter with a 15-11 lead over Norwich. 

The Cadets surged back into the lead to start the second period with another 7-0 punctuated by a layup from senior Riley Bennett (Hopkinton, N.H.). After exchanging baskets over the next few minutes, the hosts got a layup from senior Caileigh Travers (Valley Cottage, N.Y.) to take a 23-20 lead at the 4:32 mark. From then until halftime though, Norwich rode some tough luck as it failed to convert any of its field goal attempts through the last 4:32 of the half. 

Castleton took advantage and Goodell canned another shot from deep just before time expired to give the visitors a 26-24 lead at the break. 

Castleton's sophomore Elise Magro and Raiche hit back-to-back three-pointers to open the scoring in the third quarter extending the Spartans' lead to 33-24 just a minute and a half into the period. Five-straight points by freshman Rachel Botala (Grand Isle, Vt.) closed the deficit to 33-31 with 6:31 to go in the quarter but the Spartans received four points each from senior Emilee Bose and junior Olivia Perry to close out the frame with a 44-36 lead. 

A jumper by Bennett reduced the visitors' lead to 50-42 at the 4:44 mark of the final quarter but the Cadets' comeback was not to be on this night as the team went cold from the floor following Bennett's jumper and was unable to score again. 

Botala led the Cadets with a season-high 14 points in her first career start. Bennett added nine points while Travers contributed six points and a game-high 12 rebounds. 

Castleton received a game-high 17 points from Goodell who hit 5-of-7 shots from beyond the arc. Magro contributed 12 points while Raiche netted nine but shot just 3-of-15 from the floor. 

Norwich will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday at noon when it hosts Keene St. in the home side of a doubleheader weekend where they will travel to Keene St. on Sunday for the season finale.