WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Norwich sophomore guard Erica Rate scored a game-high 17 points, but it was not enough as the Cadets dropped a 68-58 decision to visiting New Paltz State in a women's basketball game played on Tuesday evening at Andrews Hall.

The Cadets led 36-28 at halftime, but the Hawks outscored NU 40-22 following intermission to secure the win.

Nicole Sarcone led a trio of New Paltz State players in double figures with 16 points to lead the Hawks to the come-from-behind win. Amber Sohns and Kristen Caban each poured in 11 points apiece for New Paltz State, which trailed for much of the game, before rallying behind a strong second half. The Hawks opened the second half on a 30-7 run and never looked back en route to the victory.

Norwich (0-7) hit six of its first eight shots and jumped out to a 13-3 lead less than four minutes into the game. New Paltz State (3-3) gathered itself and reeled off a 25-5 run over the next nine minutes to take a 28-18 lead at the 7:29 mark.

The Cadets turned up the defensive pressure for the remainder of the half, holding New Paltz State scoreless over the final 7:29. NU outscored the Hawks 18-0 during that stretch to take a 36-28 lead into halftime. The Cadets shot 45.5 percent from the floor in the first half, while New Paltz State managed to hit only 34.3 percent of its field goals.

New Paltz State opened the second half on a tear, outscoring Norwich 30-7 over the first 13 minutes, turning an eight-point deficit into a 15-point lead with 7:21 to play in the game. Norwich was not able to recover, and the Caders were unable to trim the Hawks' lead below 10 points the rest of the way.

Norwich went cold in the second half, hitting only 32.0 percent of its field goals in the stanza. The Cadets also committed 11 second half turnovers.

Laural McWilliams and Christine Daniels joined Rate in double figures, as both freshmen scored 10 points apiece. Jess Jaggars paced the Cadets on the boards, pulling down a team-high nine caroms.

Norwich closes out the first half of its schedule on Saturday, Dec. 8, when the Cadets host Plattsburgh State at 6 p.m. at Andrews Hall. The game marks NU's final contest of the 2007 calendar year. The Cadets will resume their 2007-08 campaign on Jan. 4-5, when they travel to Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to compete in the King's College Tournament.