Rivier Makes Second Half Push, But No Match For Norwich

Nashua, NH – The Norwich University Cadets held a comfortable lead for most of the game and despite an 18-6 run by the Raiders in the second half, the Cadets were able to cruise to an 86-68 win in women's Great Northeast Athletics Conference (GNAC) basketball action tonight.

The size and speed of the Norwich team was too much for the Raiders to handle right from the beginning as the Cadets were up by 10 points in less than 7 minutes of action and were able to extend that lead to 15 points at 34-19 with 5:13 to play in the half. The Raiders were able to go on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 7, 34-27, and then traded buckets down the stretch until a half court 3-pointer by Norwich guard Karissa Doyon (Beecher Falls, VT) put the Cadets up by 12 going into the half.

The second half looked bleak for the home team as the Cadets quickly extended their lead to 21 points at 55-34 and no matter how many baskets the Raiders got, the Cadets answered right back. A 62-42 lead with 11:30 left to play seemed safe for the Cadets, but that's when the Raiders made a huge 18-6 run to cut into the Norwich lead. Rivier junior guard Amandra Purcell (Hudson, NH) led the charge with a 3-pointer and a 3-pointer by freshman forward Jackie Penniman (Dudley, MA) put on the finishing touches of the run that brought the Raiders into a manageable 68-60 deficit with 5:56 remaining. However, the visiting Cadets were not about to let this game slip away and immediately went on a 14-0 run of their own to give themselves their largest lead of the game at 82-60. A few traded baskets later the Cadets had secured an 86-68 win to improve their record to 15-6 overall and 7-2 in GNAC play. The Raiders on the other hand fell to 4-17 with a 2-6 mark in the GNAC.

Christine Daniels (Concord, NH) led the charge for the Cadets with 23 points and 12 rebounds while Doyon added 21 points and Laurel McWilliams (Swanton, VT) added 19 points and 12 rebounds of her own. Jocelyn Fasulo chipped in with 10 points and had 2 blocks in the win.

The Raiders were led by freshman guard Erin Sweeney (Chicopee, MA) who had a career high 25 points in the set back as she went 7 for 12 from the 3-point line. Purcell was the only other Raider in double digits with 10 points and she also had a team high 6 assists. Penniman led the defense with 13 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.

The Raiders will host Albertus Magnus College on Saturday at 1:00 pm to try to claw their way back into the final playoff spot in the GNAC, meanwhile the Cadets will host Johnson & Wales University on the same day at 3:00 pm.