NEW LONDON, N.H. – December 8, 2015 – The Colby-Sawyer women's basketball team defeated Norwich University, 55-47 in non-conference action on Tuesday evening.  

Colby-Sawyer improves to 4-2 and will conclude the first semester with a pair of North Atlantic Conference (NAC) games in Maine on Friday at Husson and Saturday at Maine Maritime. Norwich drops to 5-4 and will wrap up the first semester with a home game against Maine-Fort Kent on Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Chargers, who lead the nation in blocked shots per game (9.0 bpg), recorded their average again on Tuesday evening with nine. The defense held Norwich to 25.4 percent shooting, a category the Chargers rank sixth in the nation.

Senior Jessica Shenkel (Sharon, Mass.) was the lone Charger in double digits with 20 points. She was 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. Junior Kristin Ellis (South Easton, Mass.) had four points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. Junior Marquis MacGlashing (Cape Neddick, Maine) added to her team leading blocks total with five.

Norwich was led by a 21-point effort from sophomore Shyann Josler (Thetford, Vt.). Junior Heather LeBlanc (Sanford, Maine) recorded a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Arianna Harrison (Vernon, Vt.) finished with eight points, 10 rebounds and a game-high five steals before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.

The Chargers raced out to an 8-1 lead in the first 4:30, after pair of Shenkel three pointers and a Morgan Fogg (Sanford, Maine) jumper. The Cadets defense was able to hold Colby-Sawyer to two more buckets in the final 5:30 as they chipped away at the deficit. Josler hit a trey with seven seconds left to end the first quarter at 12-10 in favor of Colby-Sawyer.

Josler began the second quarter with another three to give Norwich its first lead of the game at 13-12. Colby-Sawyer responded with an 11-3 run to take a 23-16 lead. A pair of Emmani Robinson (Newburgh, N.Y.) layups ended the half with Colby-Sawyer in front 27-21.

The Colby-Sawyer lead ballooned to 12 early in the third after a layup from Shenkel. Norwich cut the deficit to seven with a minute to play in the frame, but the Chargers scored the final five points of the quarter and led 45-33 after three.

Trailing 51-37 with 5:37 left to play, Norwich rallied with eight straight points capped by a Josler layup to come within six at 51-45. Neither team recorded a field goal in the final 3:08 of the quarter. Colby-Sawyer made four free throws to Norwich's two down the stretch to help secure the 55-47 win.

For the latest on Colby-Sawyer Athletics, follow the Chargers on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CSCathletics), Twitter (www.twitter.com/CSCathletics) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/CSCathletics).