BURLINGTON, VT – Vermont (1-3) got a season-high 16 points from Anna Olson and went back-and-forth with Delaware (3-1) before falling 58-53 in a game that saw 21 lead changes and nine ties at Patrick Gym on Friday night.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score | Box Score (.pdf)
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COACH'S QUOTE
"I felt a little better about where our program is after this game," said Mayer Head Women's Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge. "That being said there are definitely some things that we can control like offensive rebounds and the turnovers. If teams are going to pressure us, we have to take care of the ball, but I thought we did play pretty well together and felt like we were back into a rhythm. They are a good team, they're scrappy and they get after you, so for the most part I was pleased."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Anna Olson knocked down the first shot of the game on a jumper from the top of the free throw line just 17 seconds into the game.
• Delaware used a 14-7 run throughout the last nine minutes of the first quarter to extend their lead to 14-9 at the end of the first stanza.
• Vermont started the second quarter with the first score on a driving layup from Emma Utterback to cut the lead to 14-11 with 9:20 remaining in the first half. Over the next 6:25 the Catamounts outscored the Fightin' Blue Hens 12-5, and after an Aryana Dizon layup with 3:05 remaining, lead 21-19.
• The two teams traded blows over the final three minutes of the second quarter, going into halftime in a 26-26 deadlock. Anna Olson made a layup and Catherine Gilwee knocked down a three, while Delaware's Klarke Sconiers completed an and-one, Kharis Idom finished with a layup and Tara Cousins hit a jumper right before the buzzer.
• Both teams would battle to start the second half with Delaware outscoring Vermont 13-12 in the third quarter. Utterback scored four in the quarter, while Gilwee had three and Olson contributed two.
• The fourth quarter was much of the same with the two teams battling wire-to-wire. The Catamounts came out with four consecutive free throws made from Anna Olson and Delaney Richason to extend their lead to 42-39 with 8:58 remaining.
• Over the next seven plus minutes the Fightin' Blue Hens outscored the Catamounts 15-9 behind six points from Sconiers, while Richason had five and Olson had the other four for Vermont.
• Leading 54-50 with just 1:14 remaining the Catamounts were unable to score on their next possession and went to the foul tactic to extend the game. Makayla Pippin knocked down back-to-back free throws with 23 seconds remaining, and a missed three from Richason for UVM at the other end led to free throws from Nakiyah Mays-Prince who knocked down one of two to extend the lead to 57-50.
• Bella Vito knocked down a three with four seconds remaining on an assist from Utterback to cut the lead to 57-53, but the Catamounts ran out of time and a Jewel Smalls free throw with two seconds left gave the game its final score of 58-53.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Anna Olson finished with a game-high 16 points to go along with five rebounds and a career-high three blocked shots.
• Catherine Gilwee registered 11 points, going 3-9 from behind the arc, while also recording two assists and one rebound.
• Delaney Richason and Bella Vito tied for a team-high seven rebounds. Richason contributed 10 points and a block shot and went 4-4 from the free throw line.
• The Catamounts shot over 40% for a third consecutive game shooting 41.7% from the field and knocked down 9-13 free throws.

 
UP NEXT
Vermont will kick off their Thanksgiving week with another matchup at Patrick Gym when they take on Army on Monday, November 21. The start time for that game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Voice of Catamounts' women's basketball Ryan Zimmerman, will be calling the action live on WVMT (FM 96.3 / AM 620) on radio and the Varsity Network App which you can download here.