WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Natalie Marchese led four Cadets in double-figures with a game-high 14 points, and the Norwich University women’s basketball team overcame a poor shooting night to defeat visiting St. Joseph’s (Maine), 64-54, in a GNAC Tournament quarterfinal game played Tuesday evening at Andrews Hall. 

The Cadets (12-13) outrebounded the Monks, 50-31, including a 17-7 edge on the offensive glass. Those offensive rebounds led to 17 second-chance points for Norwich. NU also hit 20-of-27 free throws, compared to just 5-of-11 for St. Joseph’s (Maine). The rebounding edge and free throws helped the Cadets take the victory, despite making just 33.3 percent of its field goal attempts. The Monks were not much better from the floor, connecting on just 36.1 percent of its shots.

Laural McWilliams recorded her first double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Kayleigh Shappy also netted 11 points. Ally Daniels chipped in 10 points, while Jess Jaggars contributed nine points and a game-high 13 rebounds. 

The win moves third-seeded Norwich into the GNAC semifinals, where the Cadets will meet No. 2 seed Suffolk on Friday. The game will be hosted by Emmanuel, the No. 1 seed in the GNAC Tournament.

St. Joseph’s (Maine) (15-10) scored the first five points of the game to take a 5-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. Norwich responded with a 10-2 spurt to take its first lead of the game at 10-7 with 11:55 to play in the first half. Marchese and Erica Rate each knocked down three-pointers to spur the run. 

The Monks trimmed their deficit down to one point at 13-12 at the 9:32 mark, but an 8-2 Norwich run helped the Cadets open up their largest lead of the game at 21-14 with 4:57 showing on the first half clock. St. Joseph’s (Maine) came right back, though, reeling off 10 unanswered points to take a 24-21 lead just three minutes later, and the Monks carried a 28-26 advantage into halftime.

St. Joseph’s (Maine) scored the first four points of the second half to open its largest lead of the game at 32-26 at the 18:55 mark. Norwich fought back with a 9-2 spurt to establish its first lead of the second stanza at 35-34 with 12:09 to play.

The lead then see-sawed back and forth four times over the next two minutes, and with 10:23 to play, the Cadets were clinging to a 39-38 advantage. Norwich ripped off an 11-4 run over the next five minutes to seize control of the contest, opening up a 50-42 lead with 5:32 to go, and the Monks never got any closer than six points the rest of the way. 

Allison Miner led St. Joseph’s (Maine) with a team-high 12 points, while Erin Cartwright added 11. Carolyn Freeman, Meghan Daigle and Liz Jordan each chipped in eight points apiece for the Monks.