Bennington, Vt. - The Spartans provided offensive pressure all game, but it wasn't until the 70th minute that the visitors cracked the scoreboard, earning a 1-0 win against Southern Vermont in Bennington on Wednesday.

Bryce Kaler provided the only scoring for the Spartans, burying a pass from Spencer Dandurand to give Castleton the 1-0 lead. Nate Koenemann earned his second consecutive shutout to preserve the one-goal victory.

In the first half, Castleton outshot the Mountaineers 11-1, but SVC goalkeeper Brenden Shea shined, denying every Spartan opportunity in the first frame. The Spartans' best chance to break the tie came in the 25th minute with a string of shots including a sliding shot from John Kendall that went begging, just wide of the right post. 

After the halftime break, Castleton came out with the same relentless pressure and continued to pile on the shot count. In the 70th minute, they finally found their breakthrough when Kaler collected a ball from Dandurand and drilled it home to give the Spartans the 1-0 lead. 

Despite the Mountaineers' best efforts to throttle up the pace, Castleton was able to slow down the tempo of play and utilize possession to run the clock until the final whistle.

Koenemann registered one save while earning his second straight clean sheet to begin the season. SVC goalie Brenden Shea finished with eight saves but took the loss in his first career start. The Spartans improved to 2-0 with the win, and will travel to MCLA to compete in the CIAO Classic. On Saturday, Sept. 7 they take on Norwich, and on Sept. 8 they will face Union (N.Y.).