Erica Rate scored a team-high 14 points and Ally Daniels netted 12 points to lead Norwich to a 65-62 victory over Middlebury in a non-conference contest Tuesday evening at Andrews Hall. Stephany Surette posted a double-double with 12 points and 17 rebounds to lead Middlebury (0-3). Maddie Moreau (14 points) and Brittany Perfetti (13 points) also scored in double-figures for the Panthers, who trimmed a 14-point second half deficit down to one on two occasions late in the game.

Jess Jaggars added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Cadets (3-1), while Christine Daniels chipped in seven points and a team-high 10 rebounds.

Norwich led 55-41 at the 12:28 mark of the second half, but a 19-6 run by Middlebury drew the Panthers to within one point (61-60) with 3:06 to play. Moreau poured in six points during the run, hitting three intermediate jumpers.

A pair of free throws by Laurel McWilliams stretched the Norwich lead to three points (63-60) moments later, but a basket in the lane by Surette made it 63-62 with 1:40 left. Jaggars drained a 15-foot baseline jumper from the left side to increase the Cadets' lead to 65-62, and NU hung on as the Panthers missed four shots and committed a turnover in the final 1:06.

A three-pointer by Ally Daniels and baskets by Christine Daniels and Kylie Cowens helped Norwich open up a quick 7-2 lead less than four minutes into the contest. Middlebury fought back with an 11-5 spurt to claim its first and only lead of the stanza (13-12) at the 12:44 mark.

An old-fashioned three-point play by Ally Daniels ignited a 7-0 Norwich run that gave the Cadets a 19-13 lead a minute later. NU stretched its lead to as many as 11 points later in the frame before settling for a 38-31 halftime lead.

Norwich began the second half on a 15-8 run to assume its largest lead of the game. That was when Middlebury caught fire and began its game-changing run.