Waltham, Mass. - Before the season began, Kelsey Lenney was chosen as the team captain for the women's soccer team. The senior proved her mettle as a leader Wednesday night, sending her team to a thrilling 2-2 (5-4) win in penalty kicks.

After conceding an own goal in the North Atlantic Conference Championship game, Lenney showed all the characteristics of a great leader in the Spartans' ECAC Quarterfinal win over Brandeis. The captain played tough for 110 minutes in the frigid weather and buried the game-winning penalty kick to give the Spartans their first ever Eastern College Athletic Conference postseason victory.

Lenney stepped up to the 12-foot mark with the penalty kicks knotted at 4-4. The senior collected herself, exhaled, and delivered for the Spartans, beating Brandeis goalkeeper Michelle Savuto and propelling the seventh-seeded Spartans past the second-seed Judges and into the ECAC Semifinal round.

Getting to the penalty stage was no easy task for the Spartans, who trailed 1-0 with less then 10 minutes to play. The Judges dominated gameplay, outshooting the Spartans 34-10 throughout the game. Castleton weathered the storm however, thanks in part to a steadfast defensive back line and a career-high 21 saves from freshman Jessica Binkowski.

Brandeis opened up a 1-0 lead in the first half with a goal from Sapir Edalati. Edalati finished off a ball that rolled in front to put the home team ahead in the early going. The rest of the half went by without the Spartans finding a goal.

In the second half, the Judges dominated play again, but Castleton was able to convert on the few chances they created. With 4:30 to play and hope dwindling, the Spartans received a throw-in deep in Brandeis territory. Jenna Bostwick stepped up and heaved the ball into the goal mouth where Savuto misplayed the hop and was forced out of position. Mallory Costello pounced on the chance and knocked the ball home to tie the game with 4:13 remaining in the contest.

As quickly as the Spartans earned the tie, the home team was able to counter. Just 1:58 after the Spartans' equalizer, Brandeis scored a go-ahead goal to take a 2-1 lead. Holly Szafran finished off a scrum in front of the Castleton goal to put her team ahead in the final minutes.

With less than 30 seconds remaining, Castleton pressed the Brandeis box for a goal. In the jumble, Dominique Valancius found Bri DiPhilippo on a supporting run. The defender ripped a right-footed bullet over the crowd and into the side netting to tie the game with just 26 seconds remaining, forcing the game into overtime.

Castleton weathered an onslaught of shots from Brandeis over the course of the next 30 minutes. Outshot 6-0 and conceding three corner kicks, the Spartans fended off every opportunity that the Judges mustered. After what must have seemed like hours for the Spartan squad, the final whistle blew sending the match into penalty kicks. 

In the penalty round, Castleton called upon their leading scorer first. After a Brandeis conversion, Costello set the tone for the Spartans, burying her shot with ease to strike a 1-1 tie after the first round. In the second round, Brandeis' Alec Spivack and Bostwick both missed wide left.

After a second Brandeis conversion, Paige Howk stepped up a buried her penalty kick as well. Jessica Binkowski came up large in the next round as the freshman parried the Brandeis penalty. Blaire Hooper gave the Spartans a 3-2 lead with a laser beam past Savuto. After a made kick by the Judges, Jessica Phillips stepped up but was robbed by Savuto to send the penalty kicks into sudden death rounds.

With the Spartans' tournament life on the line, Eva Clark stepped to the 12-foot mark. The team trailed 4-3 after a made kick by Brandeis' Jessica Morana. The freshman stepped to the spot and buried her kick just under the crossbar to keep Castleton's hopes alive. 

Next to the mark for Brandeis was their goalkeeper Savuto. The goalie ripped a shot at her counterpart, but Binkowski was able to parry the ball over the bar to give Castleton a chance at the win. That's when the captain stepped up, burying the penalty and giving the Spartans their first ever win in the ECAC tournament.

With the victory, the Spartans live to fight another day. The team will face Wheaton College Saturday, Nov. 16 taking on the third-seeded Lyons in the ECAC Semifinal round. Wheaton dispatched Eastern Nazarene with a 3-2 overtime win.