NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University women's basketball team captured a pivotal Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory on Saturday afternoon, outlasting reigning league champions University of Saint Joseph (Conn.), 60-58, in a back-and-forth thriller inside Andrews Hall.

In a contest that featured 19 lead changes and 12 ties, three freshmen reached double figures for the Cadets.  Cassidy Kittredge (Waterford, Vt.) and Maggi Ellsworth (West Topsham, Vt.) each poured in 13 points while combining for 10 rebounds, and Gracie Laster (Arlington, Mass.) added 12 points off the bench.  Jade Garceau (Fairfield, Vt.) and Jessica Zimmerman (Turner, Maine) chipped in seven points apiece, delivering timely baskets in key moments down the stretch.

Saint Joseph struck first, scoring the opening four points and holding Norwich scoreless for nearly three minutes.  Ellsworth responded with a personal 5-0 run to give the Cadets their first lead of the afternoon.  The two sides battled evenly through the remainder of the quarter, with a Kittredge three-pointer and a Garceau free throw pushing Norwich to its largest lead of the stanza, 11-8, before a Blue Jay putback trimmed the margin to one at the break.

The seesaw continued in the second quarter.  Saint Joseph grabbed a three-point advantage on a triple at the 5:04 mark, but a Laster jumper ignited a 9-1 Norwich surge.  The Cadets carried a 28-23 lead into halftime, capped by a pair of Ellsworth free throws in the closing seconds.

Out of the locker room, Saint Joseph mounted a 7-0 run to reclaim the lead.  Back-to-back baskets from Kiley O'Brien (Kingston, Mass.) and Laster restored momentum to the hosts, but the Blue Jays again edged ahead with under a minute remaining in the third.  Kittredge answered with a layup off an Ellsworth feed just before the buzzer, sending Norwich into the fourth quarter with a narrow 37-36 advantage.

The final frame delivered the drama expected of two teams fighting for playoff positioning and a pivotal win.  Neither team could create separation until Saint Joseph built a four-point cushion with 3:03 remaining.  Laster trimmed the deficit with two free throws, and moments later, Ellsworth's steal sparked a fast break.  Ellsworth found Laster, who quickly connected with Kittredge in stride for a game-tying layup at 51-51.  Ellsworth then knocked down a free throw with 1:50 to play to put Norwich back in front.

The Blue Jays responded with a free throw and a layup to reclaim a 54-52 edge with under a minute remaining.  On the ensuing possession, Lily Briggs (Fair Haven, Vt.) found Garceau wide open at the top of the key in transition, and Garceau buried a three-pointer to give the Cadets the lead for good.  Saint Joseph continued to press in the final 39 seconds, but clutch free throws from Laster and Zimmerman sealed the two-point triumph.

Norwich held key statistical advantages, including points off turnovers (21-7), second-chance points (9-8), bench scoring (19-14), and points in the paint (22-20).  After being outscored 11-0 in fast break points through the first three quarters, the Cadets flipped the script in the final period, outpacing the Blue Jays 12-1 in transition over the final 10 minutes.

With the regular season entering its final week and a top-four GNAC Tournament seed within reach, Norwich now turns its attention to a showdown with conference-undefeated Emmanuel College on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m. in Boston, Mass.  The Cadets will then return home for Senior Day on Saturday, Feb. 21, hosting Elms College in the regular-season finale inside Andrews Hall.