DANBURY, Conn. - Senior forward Gabrielle Franks (Madison, Conn.) and junior guard Nicole Vivian (New Milford, Conn.) scored 14 and 10 points, respectively, but the Western Connecticut State University women's basketball team suffered a 74-38 loss to visiting Castleton University at Feldman Arena on Monday night.

The Wolves drop to 12-7 overall and 5-6 in the Little East Conference while the Spartans improve to 13-6 and 6-4 in the league.  WestConn sits in fifth place, behind Castleton, in the current LEC standings.  Both teams will meet again on Saturday, February 11 in Castleton, Vt.

Graduate student Kelly Vuz led the winners with 21 points while this week's LEC Player of the Week, Elise Magro chipped in 19 points and dished out a game-high four assists.  Liz Bailey added 16 points for the Spartans, which connected on 30-of-60 attempts from the floor.

Castleton led from the jump and built a 13-point advantage, 16-3, following a three-point bucket from Kelly Vuz with 4:02 left in the first quarter.  The visitor's lead grew to 37-23 at intermission before the Spartans closed out any chance of a Wolves' comeback in the third quarter.  In the third stanza, Castleton outscored WestConn, 21-4.

Franks yanked down a team-high six rebounds while Nicole Peralta (Windham, Conn.) handed out three assists in the loss.

Wolves leading scorer on the season, Katelyn Fanning (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) was smothered by the Spartans defense and failed to light up the scoreboard in 20 minutes of action on Monday.  She came into tonight's contest with a 12.4 scoring average and was able to pull the trigger on just one shot from the field.

WestConn, which is in a string of five games in 10 days, including four straight contests at the O'Neill Center, play host to LEC front runner Rhode Island College on Wednesday, February 1.  Game time against the Anchorwomen is set for 5 pm.

Castleton welcomes Plymouth State University on Wednesday.  Tip-off is slated for 5:30 pm in the Green Mountain State.

NOTE:  Saturday, February 4, WestConn will celebrate Senior Day when it faces Keene State College.  Pre-game festivities precede the 1 pm tip.