CASTLETON, Vt. - The Spartans scored three times in the game's first 15 minutes on their way to a convincing 9-2 victory over Colby-Sawyer on Friday night at Spartan Stadium.

Sophomore Rachel Preusser (Craryville, N.Y.) recorded her second straight hat trick and Kealy Chipman (Bellows Fall, Vt.) added a pair of goals as Castleton produced its highest scoring output of the season.

Preusser opened up the scoring going at the 7:45 mark as she put home a rebound in front of the cage for her sixth goal of the season and a 1-0 advantage. Chipman made it 2-0 just over four minutes later as she took a nice cross from classmate Corinne Healy (Jefferson Township, N.J.) and one-timed it home.

Less than 30 seconds later, at the 12:21 mark, it was junior Mercedes Maltbie (Warrensburg, N.Y.) who found the back of the cage for her first goal of the season. Sophomore Blake Wardwell (Bridgewater, Vt.) concluded the scoring in the first half as she scored off a rebound of her own shot for her fifth goal of the season.

The defense was stout as they held Colby-Sawyer without a shot for the first 30 minutes of action, finishing with 31-1 shot advantage.

Preusser found the net just 1:23 into the second half, scoring off a cross from Caitlin Briggs (Germantown, N.Y.). Just seconds later the second-year finished off her hat trick as she took a pass senior Stephanie Paproski (Newtown, Conn.) and one-timed it past the goalie.

The Chargers finally broke through at the 42:52 mark as Nykki Stritzinger (Bel Air, Md.) fired a shot by Bridget Dusha (Greenwich, N.Y.) to make it a 6-1 game.

Paproski added a goal from the top of the striking circle at the 47:17 mark and Healy put one home right front of the net four minutes later for the seven-goal lead. Chipman recorded Castleton's final goal of the evening in the 55th minute of play.

With just over eight minutes remaining in the contest, Jillian Dervishian (Malden, Mass.) scored for the 9-2 final tally.

Bridget Dusha got the win in net for the Spartans without having to make a save in 56:35 minutes of action while Colby-Sawyer's Colleen O'Hurly made 15 saves.

With the win Castleton improves to 3-5 on the season and 2-0 in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) while the Chargers fall to 2-5 and 0-1 in NAC play.

The Spartans return to action on Sept. 27 when they host Union at 4 p.m.