Plymouth, NH - In a game that was tightly contested throughout, the Northern Vermont University-Lyndon women's basketball team came up one play short on Tuesday evening, falling to Plymouth State University 61-58.  Plymouth improves to 4-13 with the win, while the Hornets fall to 5-12 on the season.

After Pymouth opened up a 19-8 advantage after the first quarter, the Hornets came all the way back to forge a 26-26 halftime tie.  Lyndon then opened the third quarter on a 7-1 run, as baskets from Alisha Celley (Cabot, VT) and Shaylan Mosher (Newark, VT) sandwiched a three-pointer from Lea Crompton (Dunbarton, NH) to give the Hornets a 33-27 lead.Plymouth responded with a 14-2 run of their own to regain the lead, eventully taking a 43-39 advantage into the final quarter.

Plymouth maintained a slim lead for much of the final quarter, until Mosher converted two free throws to give Lyndon a 52-51 advantage with 3:51 to go in the game.  Plymouth's Isabella Earle made one of two free throws on the next possession to tie things, Then Jalen Cook knocked down a jumper to put the Panthers up by two.  Cook found Earle for a layup on Plymouth's next possesion to make it a four point game, but Celley's putback basket brought Lyndon back within two with 1:11 to go.

The Hornets then forced a Plymouth turnover.  Celley drew a foul inside, then made one of two free throws to cut he deficit to one.  Lyndon fouled Earle on the next trip, and she made both free throws to build the lead back to three.  Following an exchange of foul shots, the Hornets got the ball back with eight seconds remaining with a chance to tie, but the Hornets were unable to convert and Plymouth escaped with the win.

Earle led Plymouth with 17 points and eight rebounds.  Sarah Sweet added 14 and Cook chipped in 11.  Celley paced the Hornets with a game high 19 points.  Mosher was the only other Lyndon player to reach double figures, as she finished with ten points.

The Hornets return to North Atlantic Conference play this weekend with a pair of games ath the University of Maine at Presque Isle.  On Friday they tip off at 5:30 pm, then follow with a 1:00 pm start on Saturday.