CASTLETON, Vt. -- The Castleton State College women's basketball team limited Maine Maritime to just 28.9% shooting from the field, and forced 25 turnovers en route to a 68-37 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) win Saturday afternoon at Glenbrook Gymnasium.

Maine Maritime stayed within striking distance throughout the first half, and pulled to within 26-22 on a Sam Goda (Eliot, Maine) jumper with 3:37 left in the first half. The Spartans responded with a 21-0 run that spanned the end of the first half and the opening four-plus minutes of the second to take control.

The Spartan defense held the Mariners to just two points over the first six minutes after intermission, turning a 12-point halftime margin into a 53-24 lead with 14 minutes remaining. 

While the defense was on display, Castleton's offense was also clicking as the Spartans converted on 10 of their first 11 possessions to start the second half to put the game out of reach.

Vanessa Powers (Marshfield, Vt.) dumped in a game-high 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting, while Alyssa Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) added 14 points, going 6-for-10 from the field. Christine Jaques (Burlington, Vt.) rounded out the Spartans in double figures with 11 points, including a pair of three-pointers. Leonard and Powers also grabbed six rebounds apiece, while Leonard dished out a game-high five assists.

Goda was the lone Mariner in double figures with 12 points, and collected a team-leading five rebounds. Andi Flannery (East Machias, Maine) paced Maine Maritime with four assists.

Castleton never trailed in the contest and moved the ball well, tallying 19 assists on 29 field goals with just nine turnovers.

Castleton (6-2, 3-1) will end the first semester with a non-conference home contest versus Norwich Tuesday evening at 7 pm. Maine Maritime (3-4, 1-2) is off until after the new year when the Mariners host the Maine Maritime Tournament January 2 & 3.

CASTLETON 68, MAINE MARITIME 37

MAINE MARITIME (3-4, 1-2 NAC)

Sam Goda 5-9 2-3 12; Kari Jones 2-6 2-2 7; Bekah Campbell 3-4 0-0 6; Andi Flannery 0-3 3-4 3; Sydney Robertson 1-2 0-0 2; Casey Everest 1-4 0-0 2; Jillian Perron 1-1 0-0 2; Courtney Dufour 0-3 2-2 2; Kayley Rodriguez 0-0 1-2 1; Crystal Clark 0-1 0-0 0; Alyssa Severance 0-2 0-0 0; Maggie Smith 0-3 0-0 0; Alexis Bennett 0-7 0-0 0. Totals 13-45 10-13 37.

CASTLETON (6-2, 3-1 NAC)

Vanessa Powers 8-10 2-4 18; Alyssa Leonard 6-11 2-2 14; Christine Jaques 3-7 3-4 11; Meghan O'Sullivan 4-4 0-0 8; Tarryn Bolognani 3-6 0-0 7; Stephanie Bull 2-8 0-0 4; Samantha Holmes 1-1 0-0 2; Alyssa Moore 1-5 0-0 2; Heather Murdough 1-3 0-0 2; Molly Demellier 0-2 0-0 0; Kelly Conway 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 29-60 7-10 68.

Maine Maritime................   22   15  -   37

Castleton.....................   34   34  -   68

3-point goals--Maine Maritime 1-9 (Kari Jones 1-2; Courtney Dufour 0-3; Alyssa Severance 0-2; Maggie Smith 0-2), Castleton 3-13 (Christine Jaques 2-6; Tarryn Bolognani 1-2; Stephanie Bull 0-1; Alyssa Moore 0-1; Molly Demellier 0-1; Kelly Conway 0-2).

Fouled out--Maine Maritime-Andi Flannery, Castleton-None.

Rebounds--Maine Maritime 28 (Sam Goda 5), Castleton 36 (Vanessa Powers 6; Alyssa Leonard 6).

Assists--Maine Maritime 10 (Andi Flannery 4), Castleton 19 (Alyssa Leonard 5).

Total fouls--Maine Maritime 17, Castleton 15.

Technical fouls--Maine Maritime-None, Castleton-None.