CASTLETON, Vt. - Rachel Preusser (Craryville, N.Y.) netted three goals in the first half and Stephanie Bardell (Erwinna, Pa.) added a goal and an assist as Castleton State College downed New England College 6-2 in North Atlantic Conference field hockey action Wednesday evening at Spartan Stadium.

Preusser wasted little time putting Castleton on top, finishing off a pretty play just 33 seconds into the contest. Stephanie Paproski (Newtown, Conn.) initiated the play from the right flank, playing the ball into Caitlin Briggs (Germantown, N.Y.) who shuffled it over to Preusser who was waiting on the far post.

The Pilgrims answered at the 3:10 mark as Jennifer Adams (Brimfield, Mass.) potted her second goal of the season. Adams received a pass from midfield, beat a pair of Spartan defenders and finished inside the far post past Castleton goalie Bridget Dusha (Geenwich, N.Y.).

Castleton pushed the lead to 4-1 before the interval on a Bardell penalty stroke and two-straight from Preusser. Paproski started things on the Bardell stroke, rifling a shot past NEC goalie Mary Roux (Hillsborough, N.H.) that was illegally covered on the goal line by a Pilgrrim defender.

Kely Chipman (Bellows Falls, Vt.) set up Preusser for her second goal, playing a through pass that was one-timed home, and Preusser did all the work herself for number-three, pouncing on a rebound and finishing.

NEC opened the scoring 10 minutes into the second half as Rachel Carnaroli (Bellingham, Mass.) scored her first of the season putting home a rebound just inside the near post.

Castleton was able to tack on a pair of insurance markers, as Blake Wardwell (Bridgewater, Vt.) netted a penalty stroke and Paproski put home a Bardell assist.

Roux was fantastic in the cage for the Pilgrims, stopping 18 shots, including a dozen in the second half.

Dusha finished with six saves of her own to earn the win.

New England College, now 2-5, 1-1 travel to Saint Joseph's (Me.) for a NAC tilt beginning at 12 noon on Saturday.

Castleton is back in action Friday evening when the Spartans play host to Colby-Sawyer at 7 pm in NAC play.