JOHNSON, Vt. – Johnson State College was defeated by visiting New England College on Thursday night 61-41 in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) women's basketball action as the Pilgrims held the Badgers to 24% (14-59) shooting on the night while forcing 26 JSC turnovers.  JSC slides to 4-13 overall, 2-9 NAC while the Pilgrims improve to 14-3, 7-3 NAC.

Johnson's Brittany Robertson (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) scored a game-high 18 points and also grabbed seven rebounds and collecting three steals although she struggled from the floor going 6-27 on the night.  Senior guard Andrea Deuell (Milton, Vt./Milton) was the only other Badger in double-figures finishing with 10 points.  First-year forward Kirsten Rand (Colchester, Vt./Colchester) (pictured) hauled in a team-high nine rebounds.

NEC was paced by senior Rachel Williams (Chapel Hill, N.C./Cedar) who finished with a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double while also dealing out four assists.  Taylor Burgess (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) fell just short of a double-double of her own with eights and a game-high 11 boards.

Johnson trailed by just five points with 7:50 remaining in the first half following a Deuell bucket to make it 14-9 but NEC would close the half on a 12-4 run to take a 26-13 lead into halftime.

The Pilgrims would continue the run out of the locker room with Williams scoring nine of her 14 points over the first 10 minutes of the second to push the margin to 45-22 with 10:24 remaining.

A proud JSC squad continued to battle and would cut a lead that would grow to 27 back to 16 with 1:17 remaining following a Deuell 3-pointer.  But it was too little, too late as NEC earned the conference road victory.

Johnson moves on to play at Colby-Sawyer College on Saturday at 1:00 pm while New England College will host Lyndon State College, also on Saturday at 1:00 pm.