CASTLETON, Vt. – Maine Maritime Academy women's basketball fell to Castleton University, 63-53 on Saturday afternoon in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) action inside of Glenbrook Gym.

Melinda Ogden (Searsport, Maine) opened up the game with a three, and teammates Chloe Smedley (York, Maine) and Alex Winchester (Hampden, Maine) added baskets to give the Mariners a 7-0 lead with 5:14 to go in the first quarter. The Spartans battled back, capping off the quarter with a five-point run to tie things up at 9-9.

Back-to-back baskets by Smedley gave the Mariners a 13-11 lead to open up the second quarter, but the Spartans began to pull away outscoring the Mariners 11-2, to take a 22-15 lead at 3:10. Caitlin Kane (Wilton, Maine) scored five-straight to cap off the second quarter, sending the Mariners into the half down by four (26-22).

The Mariners outscored the Spartans 13-12 in the third quarter, to cut the deficit to 38-35. Castleton scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to take a 10-point lead with 5:24 remaining. The Spartans took a 15-point lead at 1:27 (57-42), but the Mariners continued to fight, using a three-point play from Ogden to close the gap to 12 points with 50 seconds to go and a four-point run, capped off by a steal by Kristi Willey (Topsham, Maine) that led to a Emily Melick (Sudbury, Mass.) jump shot, to close the Spartans' lead to 60-51. Castleton's Makayla Farrara hit three-of-four from the line in the closing 21 seconds to keep the Spartans on top.

Smedley led the Mariners with 16 points, five rebounds, and two steals, Odgen ended the afternoon with 14 points, four rebounds, and two steals and Alayne Felix (Mahopac, N.Y.) added a double-double of 11 points, 13 rebounds, two steals, two blocks, and an assist.

Taylor Raiche led Castleton with a game-high 18 points, four rebounds, and a steal and Farrara ended the game with 16 points, four rebounds, and one assist.

The Mariners fall to 8-8 overall and 5-5 in the conference, while the Spartans improve to 9-7 on the season and 7-3 in the NAC. Maine Maritime returns to action on Tuesday, January 24 when they host UMaine-Fort Kent at 7:00 pm.