CASTLETON, Vt. – Castleton held a 14-point lead at half and never looked back, as the women's basketball team advanced to the 2015 North Atlantic Conference Championship game with an 82-62 victory over Colby-Sawyer on Friday in Glenbrook Gymnasium.
The Spartans shot just 34.7 percent from the floor, but still managed to score more than 80 points for the second time this year. With the win, the team improves to 22-4 overall and cements its place in the conference title game for the sixth consecutive season. The Chargers, meanwhile, finish the season at 16-12 overall.
Three players reached double figures for the top seed in the tournament led by Lindsay Sabo, who scored a game and career-high 27 points to go along with five rebounds and two steals. The sophomore guard went 8-for-17 from the floor with four treys and sank all seven of her free throw attempts. Jade Desroches contributed 23 points with seven boards and three steals, while Meghan O'Sullivan chipped in 17 points.
Kelsey Bragdon poured in a team-high 26 points for Colby-Sawyer, knocking down nine of her 17 field goals and pulling down six boards. Kelsey Cahill, meanwhile, finished 6-of-6 from the charity stripe with 14 points, nine boards and three assists. Kristin Ellis provided a spark off the bench with nine points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes of play.
O'Sullivan opened the scoring just over 30 seconds into the contest when she knocked down just her tenth three-pointer of the season to give Castleton the early advantage. The senior continued to battle and knocked down back-to-back jumpers to hand the Spartans a 16-5 lead with 15:28 remaining in the half.
Just over three minutes later, Sabo completed a three-point play, and Makayla Farrara connected on her lone triple of the contest, as Castleton grabbed its highest lead of the first half, 28-7.
Colby-Sawyer responded with five straight points before Kelsey Cahill finished two free throw attempts to bring the away side back within 13, but a pair of three-pointers from Ali Jones and Sabo pushed the hosts' lead back to 20. With 3:41 remaining in the first, the visitors went on an 8-2 run to head into the break trailing 38-24.
The Chargers sustained their push for a comeback after the break, and at the 17:18 mark in the second, Bragdon knocked down one of her four triples to cut the Spartan lead back to eight. After the two squads traded baskets for nearly 11 minutes of play, the senior forward converted again from downtown to make it 62-55 with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation.
From there, Sabo took control of the game, scoring five straight points and 12 in the final 6:11 of regulation, as Castleton extended its winning streak to eight and collected its third win of the season against Colby-Sawyer with an 82-62 victory.
The Spartans will face the winner of the Husson vs. New England College semifinal in the NAC Championship game tomorrow at 2 pm in Glenbrook Gym.