CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Castleton State College women's ice hockey team opened its season with a hard-fought 3-2 loss at SUNY-Cortland. The Spartans held a 2-1 lead in the second period, but could not hang on as the host Red Dragons scored two unanswered goals for the win. Freshman Shannon Hakes scored the game-winning goal early in the third period to lift Cortland to the win.

Juniors Kalee Stoever and Nicole Ruddy also added one goal each for the Red Dragons, while senior Janie Byrd, junior Julie Freeland and sophomores Jeanna Dippel and Maggie Henty collected one assist each. Junior Melissa Stern turned aside 19 shots to earn the win in goal.

For the Spartans, sophomores Maryanne Diehm and Nicole Adams tallied one goal apiece, and junior Kayla Twigge and freshmen Kate Gray and Amy Costa recorded one assist each. Senior goaltender Vanessa Carter made 29 saves.

Stoever put Cortland ahead on the power play at four minutes, 31 seconds of the opening period when she tucked a shot into an open goal from the left side in close. The Spartans took the lead after Diehm knocked in a rebound at 5:40 of the first period on the power play and Adams connected on a wrist shot from the slot at 3:34 of the second.

Cortland evened the game up at 15:23 of the second on a second power- play goal when Ruddy stuffed the puck past Carter on the right side. Hakes then netted the game-winner at 5:47 of the final stanza as she roofed a shot from right in front for her first career goal.

With time winding down, the Spartans looked to pull Carter, but the Red Dragons kept the puck in Castleton's zone for nearly a minute. Carter could only skate to the bench for an extra attacker with less than 10 seconds remaining, and the Spartans were unable to generate a scoring chance.

The two teams will meet Sunday at 1:00 pm to close out the season opening series at Cortland.