CASTLETON, Vt. – Maine Maritime Academy women's basketball fell to Castleton University 65-57 on Friday afternoon in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) action inside of Glenbrook Gymnasium.

With the loss the Mariners fall to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the NAC, while the Spartans improve to 8-0 on the season and 4-0 in the conference. Maine Maritime returns to action tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m., against Green Mountain College.

The two teams exchanged the lead throughout most of the first quarter, until Emilee Bose hit a jump shot to spark a seven-point run from the Spartans to send the hosts into the second quarter with a 15-9 lead.

The Mariners chipped away at the deficit and outscored Castleton 17-10 in the second quarter to take a 26-25 advantage into halftime.

Castleton went on a six-point run to start the third quarter, building a 31-28 lead with 8:02 remaining. Alayne Felix (Mahopac, N.Y.) scored six unanswered points to give the Marines a 32-21 advantage with 5:30 to go but Castleton's Makayla Farrara hit a three on the following possession to give the Spartans the lead.

Felix hit a pair from the line to tie the game at 34-34 but Castleton outscored the Mariners 12-7 to close out the third quarter and held a 46-41 lead entering the final 10 minutes of play.

The Spartans maintained a lead throughout the fourth quarter to take the 65-57 victory.

Felix led the Mariners with 20 points, six rebounds and two steals, while Caitlin Kane (Wilton, Maine), Emily Melick (Sudbury, Mass.) and Chloe Smedley (York, Maine) each contributed six points. Kane added a team-high four assists and Melinda Ogden (Searsport, Maine) led the team with eight rebounds and three steals while also adding five points.  

Alexis Quenneville led Castleton with 19 points, while also adding two assists a steal and a rebound and Amanda Beatty chipped in with 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.

The Spartans shot 37.8 percent from the floor, while the Mariners shot 30.2 percent, but Maine Maritime held a 39-34 advantage in rebounds.