RUTLAND, Vt. – Senior Lauren Duran (Woburn, Mass.) scored a pair of goals and freshman Brittany Dawber (Southbridge, Mass.) potted the game-winner in the third period to lift UMass-Boston to a 5-3 win over Castleton State College in ECAC Division III Women's East action Friday evening at Spartan Arena.
With the win the Beacons improve to 13-10-0 overall, 9-8-0 in conference play, while Castleton falls to 5-16-2, 3-13-1.
The Spartans skated out to an early 1-0 lead as Laura Szwed (White Lake, Mich.) scored her ninth goal of the season just five minutes and 26 seconds into the contest. Eileen Coyne (North Attleboro, Mass.) played the puck up to the right wing where Amy Costa (Bristol, R.I.) played a centering pass to Szwed who deposited inside the left post. The goal gives Szwed 24 for her career, tying the program record. Castleton made it 2-0 on a Stephanie Bardell (Erwina, Pa.) tally just over a minute later. Nicole Ruman (Riverside, Calif.) forced a turnover and dug the puck out of the corner, passing it to Bardell who roofed her fourth goal of the season.
Duran sliced the Spartan lead in half on a beautiful feed from Rachel Sousa (Woburn, Mass.) with just over two minutes left in the first period. Duran then netted the equalizer two minutes into the second period off a Sarahanne Cavolo (Roxbury, N.H.) assist.
Katie Loiselle (Gloucester, R.I.) gave the Beacons a lead they would not relinquish, as the freshman potted her first collegiate marker 20 seconds into the third period. Kristen Smith (Beavercreek, Ohio) forced a turnover behind the Spartan net and found Loiselle all alone in front of the cage for the goal. Dawber then scored what proved to be the game winner nine minutes later, corralling a loose puck just inside the blue line, and skating in all alone for the goal.
Coyne brought the Spartans back to within a goal, scoring on a 5-on-3 advantage, but it was as close as Castleton would come. Costa fed Bardell, who fired a shot from the point that Coyne redirected into the net for her first of the season.
Jamie Cudmore (Balgonie, Saskatchewan) picked up the win for the Beacons, stopping 11 shots on goal. Amanda Hoy (Brockport, N.Y.) made 35 saves for the Spartans.
Both teams return to action tomorrow afternoon as Castleton plays host to St. Anslem and 3 p.m., while the Beacons travel to New England College for a 1 p.m. faceoff.
