BANNER

Vermont State Johnson rallied late to earn a thrilling 70-66 victory over University of Maine–Presque Isle on Saturday afternoon at Carter Gymnasium.

SUMMARY

Presque Isle came out hot, jumping to a 10-0 lead in the opening minutes and holding a 26-21 advantage after the first quarter. Johnson battled back in the second frame behind Kristie Zator's inside scoring and a three-pointer from Cris Sandlin, taking a 41-39 lead into halftime.

The third quarter was a test of defensive fortitude, but Johnson held its slim edge thanks to key baskets from Isabel Akisson and Faith Benjamin, entering the fourth ahead 49-48. The Owls surged back with a 7-0 run to lead 60-56 midway through the final period, but the Badgers responded with clutch shooting. Abbie Hernandez buried a three at 3:43 to cut the deficit, and Zator scored on a jumper at 1:38 to reclaim the lead.

With under a minute left, Zator delivered the dagger—a three-pointer with 0:35 remaining to make it 68-64. After a Presque Isle tip-in, Zator sealed the win with two free throws at 0:14, capping a dominant performance and securing the 70-66 victory.

KEY STATS

Kristie Zator: 33 points, 15 rebounds, 4 steals
Abbie Hernandez: 21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks
Cris Sandlin: 7 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds
Emily Ward: 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks
Faith Benjamin: 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals

UP NEXT

The Badgers return to action on Saturday the 17th when they travel to Lyndon for a 3 pm tipoff.