NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University women's basketball team had four double-digit point scorers as the Cadets held on for a 59-48 victory over visiting Lyndon State College on Tuesday. 

The Cadets improve to 10-7 on the year following the non-league tilt while the Hornets dip to 6-10 overall on the season. Norwich moves to 31-16 against Lyndon State in the all-time series, the second-longest against any one opponent in the history of the women's basketball program. 

Senior Heather LeBlanc (Sanford, Maine) was her team's leader in point scoring (15) and rebounding (11), making six field goals to become only the sixth student-athlete in team history to convert 500 career field goals. She also passed Christine Jutras '98 to hold fifth place on the Norwich all-time career point scoring list (1,268). 

Junior Shyann Josler (Thetford Center, Vt.) scored 13 points while classmate Arianna Harrison (Vernon, Vt.) fell one rebound short of a double-double, scoring 12 points and hauling in nine caroms. Senior Kayla Mercer (New Britain, Conn.) finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, tying with Harrison for the team lead with four helpers. 

With the score tied at seven points, Mercer hit on a three-point basket to create a 10-7 advantage with 5:11 left in the first stanza. Harrison and sophomore Emily Oliver (Sagamore Hills, Ohio) would net baskets for the Cadets before a late layup by Norwich created a 16-9 lead after the first quarter of play. 

Norwich opened up two separate three-point leads early in the second quarter as a Josler layup and back-to-back free throw makes by Mercer led to a 24-11 lead with 6:47 to go in the second quarter. Lyndon State answered with three treys down the stretch, cutting the Norwich lead to 28-20 before a late heave by Harrison from beyond the arc set the halftime score at 31-20. 

The Cadets had three-separate leads of 16 points in the third quarter, the latest advantage coming off of a Josler triple. Ultimately, Norwich held on to a 51-36 lead following a layup from Leanne Winans (Hudson, N.H.) with only 41 ticks left on the third quarter scoreboard. The Cadets controlled scoring in the paint, 12-to-6, in the stanza. 

Lyndon State kept up great offensive pressure in the fourth quarter, outscoring Norwich by an 11-2 margin in the first 7:07 of the quarter. Alexis Britch made all three of her three-point attempts during that span, fueling a run that shrunk the Cadets lead to 53-47 with 2:53 left in regulation time. 

A clutch LeBlanc layup on the next possession would slow the Lyndon State momentum. The victory was sealed for Norwich following a long inbounds pass by Harrison that hooked up with a sprinting Josler – the fast-break layup elevated Norwich to a 57-48 lead, an advantage that would grow to 59-48 following free throws from Mercer in the final 25 seconds. 

Alissa Mitchell was a force in the paint for Lyndon State all night, using her floater to score a team-best 12 points and seven rebounds. Gabrielle Foy scored nine points for the Hornets, tying Britch in scoring. 

Norwich will continue a three-game home slate with a 7 p.m. clash with Simmons on Thursday, Jan. 26 in Andrews Hall.