CASTINE, Maine -- Sparked by an 11-0 run in the first half, Castleton knocked off Maine Maritime 61-49 in a North Atlantic Conference women's basketball game Saturday. The Spartans remained unbeaten in NAC at 12-0, 17-2 overall, while the Mariners lost for the first time in eight games and dropped to 8-3 NAC, 10-7 overall. 

Kari Jones led Maine Maritime with 10 points on 3 of 5 shooting and 3 of 3 from the line. Leah Jackson and Kristi Willey each netted nine points and Hanna Lyons scored eight for the Mariners. Jackson also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and dished out five assists.

Meghan O'Sullivan scored a game-high 16 points for Castleton and Jade Desroches added 12. Alyssa Leonard grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. 

Even at 2-2 early in the game, the Spartans used a 7-2 scoring run, highlighted by four points from Douglas, to lead 9-4 with 12:55 left in the opener. The Mariners answered with consecutive threes from Ashley Shine and Willey to lead 10-9 with 11:18 on the clock. 

After a Jones jumper tied the game at 13-13, the Spartans exploded for an 11-0 run, with six points from O'Sullivan, to lead 24-13 with 4:20 remaining before the break. Castleton took its largest lead, 31-15, with 1:18 left before Bekah Campbell's traditional three-point play got the Mariners within 11, 31-20, with 12 seconds left before halftime. Desroches hit a pair of free throws just before the break to give the Spartans a 33-20 lead at halftime.

Castleton took its largest lead of the game, 43-26, with 15:55 left in the game. Maine Maritime answered with a 15-7 run to close the gap to seven, 50-43, after a Lyons layup with 5:50 left in the game. Willey had five points to highlight the Mariners run. The Spartans built their lead to as many 15 with 40 seconds left before Jones scored the final points of the game with a three.

The Mariners return to action Tuesday hosting Husson at 5:30 p.m.