Johnson, VT – Vermont State University Lyndon opened the 2026-27 season with a 62-46 victory over Vermont State University Randolph in the first round of the Vermont State University Tip-Off Classic Saturday afternoon at Carter Gymnasium.
The Hornets never trailed, jumping out to an early advantage and using their work on the glass to maintain control throughout the contest. Lyndon led 18-11 after one quarter and stretched its advantage to 30-19 at halftime.
Chloe Murphy (Manchester, NH) gave the Hornets the first points of the game on a layup, and Taliyah Carter (Ozark, AL) followed with a three-pointer as Lyndon opened an early 5-0 lead. Nei'Shae Clegg (Coolidge, AZ) added a layup, while Kaitlyn Frydenlund (Westminster, CO) helped the Hornets establish a 9-0 advantage from the free-throw line.
Randolph answered behind Cierra Grant, who finished with a game-high 18 points, but Lyndon continued to control the opening half. The Hornets held the Knights to 8-of-39 shooting through the first two quarters and took an 11-point lead into the break.
The teams played an even 13-13 third quarter before Lyndon pulled away again in the fourth. The Hornets outscored Randolph 19-14 over the final 10 minutes to secure the 16-point victory.
Carter led Lyndon with 16 points, including 11-of-14 shooting from the free-throw line, while adding four steals. Frydenlund recorded a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards. Skylar Begay (Tucson, AZ) added 13 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, while Clegg finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds as Lyndon placed three players in double figures on the glass.
Murphy contributed nine points and added a block and a steal. Diana Tafoya (Arlington, VT) scored no points but grabbed five rebounds and recorded a steal in 33 minutes.
Grant led the Knights with 18 points, while Marie Reyes added 13 points and nine rebounds. Tara Croft paced Randolph on the glass with 11 rebounds to go along with five points.
Lyndon held a commanding 50-35 advantage in rebounds and turned 20 offensive rebounds into 22 second-chance points. The Hornets also forced Randolph into 15 turnovers and finished with 10 steals.
Neither team shot particularly well from the field, with Lyndon finishing 17-for-66 (25.8 percent) and Randolph shooting 18-for-68 (26.5 percent), but the Hornets made the difference at the free-throw line. Lyndon converted 26 of 37 attempts from the stripe, compared with 7-for-13 for the Knights.
With the win, Lyndon opens the season at 1-0 and advances to Sunday's Tip-Off Classic championship game, where the Hornets will face host VTSU Johnson. Johnson advanced with a 79-13 victory over Paul Smith's College in Saturday's other first-round matchup. The championship game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m., preceded by a consolation game between VTSU Randolph and Paul Smith's at 12:00 noon.
