Newport, R.I. - The Spartans were handed their third conference loss of the year as the Salve Regina Seahawks scored a late goal to break the tie and bury the Spartans 2-1. 

With the loss, the Spartans fall to 7-6-3 on the year and 4-3-3 in the ECAC East. Salve Regina improves to 9-7-0 on the year and 5-4-0 in the ECAC East. 

The Spartans and Seahawks skated evenly for the first two periods, with the Spartans outshooting Salve Regina 14-13 through the first two periods. Paula Stephens kept Castleton in the game, helping to kill off seven power play opportunities for Salve Regina in the first two frames. 

In the third, the Spartans found themselves in a man-down situation again. With 18:07 left in the game, Michaela Chiuccariello broke the scoring seal by beating Stephens and putting the Seahawks on the board. The sophomore's ninth goal of the year put the Seahawks ahead 1-0.

With the Spartans trailing, it was senior Hanna Martini who stepped up in the clutch moment. With 8:12 remaining in the game, Martini found a way to beat Seahawks goalie Ali Muehlbronner to tie the score at 1-1. 

With the game knotted, the Seahawks were able to get on the board again. Samantha Zitzer scored on a power play goal with just 1:04 remaining in the game, giving the Seahawks a 2-1. Despite the Spartans' efforts they were unable to force overtime and lost to a conference opponent for the first time since December 1.

The difference in the game was the Seahawks' power play. SRU went 2-for-5 with the man-advantage, while the Spartans were unable to score during any of their extra-skater chances, going 0-for-3. Stephens finished the game with 23 saves while Muehlbronner turned away 16 shots. 

Castleton will make one last stop on their road trip, visiting Williams on Tuesday Jan. 22, before returning for a four-game conference homestand beginning Friday, January 25 against St. Michael's.