MOUNT IDA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Andrews Hall, Northfield, Vt.
FINAL: NORWICH 69, MOUNT IDA 42
NORTHFIELD, Vt. -- Senior Shyann Josler (Thetford Center, Vt.) scored 16 points (including the 1,000th of her career), grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out six assists as Norwich used a 21-6 fourth quarter outburst to post a 69-42 Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over Mount Ida Tuesday evening at Andrews Hall.
The host Cadets (9-11, 6-6 GNAC) scored the final six points of the opening stanza to take an 18-12 lead after the first 10 minutes of play, as the visiting Mustangs (12-10, 5-8 GNAC) had grabbed a one-point cushion on sophomore Taylor Churchill's (Fort Fairfield, Maine) three-pointer with 2:12 remaining in the quarter. After Mount Ida sliced its deficit back to a bucket (22-20) on two free throws by senior Imani Bumpus (Dedham, Mass.) 3:36 into the second frame, Norwich scored 15 of the final 16 points of the half to take a 35-21 edge at the break on a run keyed by a pair of Josler lay-ins.
The Cadets extended their advantage to 16 on a lay-in by junior Vanessa Fleury (Lebanon, N.H.) on the opening possession after intermission, but the Mustangs whittled their deficit to 10 (39-29) on sophomore Alisa Benson's (Middletown, R.I.) jumper with 4:50 remaining in the third stanza. Norwich built its lead to 12 (48-36) heading into the final frame, and the hosts iced their triumph by closing the game on a 15-2 run over the final 7:09 of action.
Fleury added 11 points and seven rebounds in the victory for the Cadets, who received 11 points (including a trio of three-pointers) from freshman Riley Bennett (Hopkinton, N.H.). Senior Arianna Harrison (Vernon, Vt.) scored eight points and grabbed a game-high 13 boards for Norwich, which received six points each from juniors Emily Oliver (Sagamore Hills, Ohio) and Naomi Rinaldo (Middlefield, Conn.). The hosts shot 36 percent (27-75) from the field overall and held a 48-31 rebounding advantage for the evening, as the Cadets scored 40 of their points in the paint.
Senior Patricia Liotta (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) scored 11 points (including three three-pointers), grabbed three rebounds and recorded a pair of steals in the setback for Mount Ida, which received 10 points, eight boards and four assists from Bumpus. Benson chipped in with eight points and three caroms for the Mustangs, who received three points and seven rebounds from senior Jaime Moscato (Taunton, Mass.) along with three points and three assists from senior Breanna Muir (Wareham, Mass.). Churchill and sophomore Jessica Cyr (Ashford, Conn.) also scored three points each for the visitors, who received four boards from sophomore Alexa Galluci (North Stonington, Conn.). Mount Ida shot 26 percent (15-58) from the floor overall, and the Mustangs connected for seven three-pointers on the night.
Mount Ida and Norwich will meet again in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference clash on Thursday afternoon at the Athletic Center that tips-off at 5:00 p.m.