JOHNSON, Vt. – Johnson State College women's basketball picked up a 58-52 non-conference win over visiting Vermont Technical College on Tuesday night at Carter Gymnasium. The Badgers improve to 2-3 overall while Vermont Tech suffers their first loss of the season and are now 6-1.
Sophomore guard Brittany Robertson (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) scored a team-high 17 points while also recording seven rebounds, six steals and three assists for Johnson while freshman backcourt mate Mary Richardson (Vernon, Vt./Brattleboro) provided 15 points and a pair of steals. Junior forward Jenessa Swainbank (Enosburg Falls, Vt./Enosburg) pulled down a team-high eight rebounds to go with six points and freshman wing Emily Jones (Craftsbury, Vt./Craftsbury) came off the bench to supply six points and seven rebounds for JSC.
Vermont Tech was led by Kelly Vellek's (Burlington, Vt.) game-high 22 points to go with seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Ama Baker (Fitchburg, Mass.) notched a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds and Paige Wells (Orleans, Vt.) hauled down a game-high 14 boards to go with seven points.
Both teams would earn a six-point lead during the first half with VTC grabbing an early 12-6 lead fueled by a pair of Vellek 3-pointers. Johnson would surge ahead by six with 1:30 left in first half with Richardson scoring eight of her points and Robertson netting seven of her own.
After more back-and-forth play over the first seven minutes of the second half and Johnson holding a 36-34 lead perhaps the game's pivotal moment came when Baker fouled out of the game with 10:35 to play. Baker was also assessed a technical foul after fouling out which kick-started 15-4 run by the Badgers making the score 51-38 with 6:31 to play.
VTC would make a push to within four points with 4:18 to go but back-to-back 3-pointers by Richardson and Robertson pushed lead back to double-figures and Johnson would earn the victory.
Johnson would hold the Green Knights to 24% shooting on the night and force 20 turnovers including 12 steals. VTC would earn the 48-43 rebounding advantage, snaring 21 offensive caroms while doing so.
Johnson will open up North Atlantic Conference (NAC) action on Thursday at home when they face New England College at 5:30 pm. Vermont Tech will travel to Maine this weekend for a set of Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) matchups with Southern Maine Community College on Saturday and Central Maine Community College on Sunday.