BURLINGTON, VT--Vermont held off visiting NJIT late in the fourth quarter, which saw the Highlanders take its first lead of the game, 57-56, but the Catamounts used a 9-2 spurt over the final 2:30 to secure a 65-59 home victory on Saturday afternoon in women's basketball non-conference action at Patrick Gymnasium.

Vermont, winners of three in a row, improve to 5-6 on the season while the Highlanders suffer its second straight loss, moving to 3-8 on the year.

The Catamounts had three double-figure scorers in the contest, led by three-time America East All-Conference honoree Hannah Crymble's game-best 24 points followed by Josie Larkins (13 points) and Sarah Wells (12 points).

NJIT was led by senior forward Danielle Tunstall's 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field and 6-of-9 from the free throw line.  Tunstall grabbed a game-best eight rebounds as the Highlanders out-rebounded Vermont 32-to-29 on the boards.

Freshman forward Maria Fux was NJIT's other double-digit scorer, netting 12 points in 23 minutes off the bench, shooting 5-for-7 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Sophomore Samantha Schultz came off the bench and scored eight points on 4-of-9 from the field.  The eight points ties her career-mark (8 at Colorado; Nov. 10).

Vermont scored the first eight points of the game in the opening two minutes and extended its lead to 17-6, resulting in an NJIT timeout with 3:11 on the clock.  NJIT's Tunstall scored the Highlanders first six points.  

Trailing 19-6, NJIT's Tunstall continued to stay hot, knocking down a three-pointer at the 8:03 mark.  Vermont would score the next seven straight, pushing its advantage to 26-9. NJIT's Fux converted a running layup at the 6:40 mark to get into the scoring column for a 26-11 score.  NJIT used an 11-4 spurt in the final five minutes of the quarter, cutting the Catamount deficit to 10, 32-22. In the Highlander run, the visitors scored six consecutive points sparked by a pair of free throws by Ellyn Stoll.

At the half, Tunstall led all scorers with 11 points on 4-for-8 from the field while Stoll went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line.  Vermont's Crymble led the home team with nine points.

NJIT cut the Catamount lead to single digits early in the third quarter, 37-28, after four straight at the 7:22 mark.  Vermont answered with seven in a row for a double-digit lead, 16, 44-28. The Highlanders took control over the next five minutes, using a 14-2 spurt, slimming the Catamount lead to three, 46-42, with less than a minute on the clock.  Sophomore guard Samantha Schultz netted four points and Fux connected on a pair of three-pointers in the Highlander run.  

Both teams traded baskets early in the fourth quarter with NJIT closing the gap to within three, 52-49, on a three-pointer from the corner by Maddie Martin at the 6:50 mark and for a second time in the quarter, 56-53, after a running layup by Schultz at 3:49.  

A pair of free throws by Tunstall pulled NJIT to within one, 56-55, and a fast break jumper by Kenna Squier put the Highlanders up for the first time in the contest, 57-56.

Vermont regained the lead, 59-57, on an old-fashioned three-point play by Sarah Wells and took a five-point lead, 62-57, on a deep three-pointer from Josie Larkins with thirty-seconds left.

NJIT scored quickly out of the timeout on a Tunstall layup with 6.8 left, down 63-59.  Larkins sank a pair of free throws to secure the six-point victory, 65-59.

NJIT will break for a week for exams and return to action on Saturday, December 21 at Columbia.  Tip-off is set for 12Noon on ESPN+. This will mark the fifth game against the Lions, which holds a 4-0 all-time record.