DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Powered by a game-high 22 points from fifth year guard
Kaylin Zalewski, including the 1,000th point of her career, UMass Dartmouth defeated Vermont State University Castleton, 82-60 in Little East women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon. The victory moves the #21/#24 Corsairs to 19-2 overall and 12-0 in conference play, while the Spartans are now 7-14 with a 3-9 LEC record.
Zalewski, who added five boards, three assists, a block and two steals in the contest, becomes the 16th player in program history to eclipse the 1,000-point mark. A captain, she joins teammate
Teja Andrews, who reached the 1k milestone earlier this season. Zalewski now has 1,003 career points in 102 games played.
It was a hot start for the Corsairs, who opened an 11-0 lead through the first four minutes of the opening stanza. Pacing the effort was fifth year forward
Jemima Joseph, who laid down six points, including a three-pointer at 8:42 to give UMD a 6-0 advantage.
Vermont State University Castleton answered and began to mount a comeback as a driving layup from junior guard Maggie McKearin pulled the margin to 19-10 with 3:49 on the clock. The Spartans made it a seven-point (19-12) game, but a layup from Zalewski, coupled with a three-pointer from grad student guard
Jane McCauley opened a 24-12 lead for the home team.
UMass Dartmouth headed into the second quarter with a 26-14 advantage and continued to build as an inside layup at 7:17 from sophomore guard
Shelby Companion opened the Corsairs largest lead thus far, 36-14.
A layup from junior guard Emily Adams helped close the gap for the visitors (38-16) with 6:20 to play, but consistent shooting, including buckets from fifth year guard and captain
Jaelyn Lavigne and a three-pointer from junior guard
Kasey Oliver saw UMD break open a 51-22 lead with just 1:07 to play.
The Corsairs headed into halftime with the 51-22 lead, backed by a game-high 10 points and six rebounds from Joseph and nine points from Zalewski, who added a block, three boards, two steals and three assists in 15 minutes played.
In the third quarter, the Spartans worked to get back into the game, going on a 5-0 run early behind points from McKearin, but another layup from Zalewski pushed the score to 59-33 with 3:13 on the clock. Junior guard Luna Perry-St. Peter sank a layup and McKearin added two makes at the line for a 61-39 score and the visitors took advantage at the line to trail by 21 points heading into the final frame.
Fourth quarter action saw Perry-St. Peter nail a three-pointer for the Spartans as makes at the line from sophomore guard Schuylar Nolan narrowed the score to 69-50 with 6:30 to go. The Corsairs made a substitution and answered as junior guard
Cristina Negron drained a shot from beyond the arc, while Oliver put up a three-point play.
With 3:46 left on the clock, the Corsairs opened the lead to 78-50 as McCauley sank a three, while Oliver added another driving layup to make it an 80-52 score with 3:13 to go. Nolan went inside for the Spartans and McKearin added her 13th point of the game in the final minute, but the Corsairs held on for their 13th straight victory.
In addition to Zalewski, McCauley had 13 points, including a 3-for-6 effort from beyond the arc. Joseph finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double, while Andrews dropped in nine points and four boards to go along with two assists, a block and two steals. Junior guard
Melanie DeMeo posted a game-best three steals and five assists.
The Corsairs return to action on Wednesday, hosting UMass Boston at 5:30pm at the Tripp Athletic Center. Wednesday's contest is the Corsairs Game of the Week with a Hawaiian theme.
