RUTLAND, Vt. – The game was scoreless after the first period, but Castleton's attack exploded with eight goals over the final 40 minutes of play to secure an 8-0 victory against the Nichols College Bison this afternoon in New England College Hockey action at Spartan Arena. 

The Spartans (6-0, 4-0) turned in a dominating performance, outshooting the opposition 51-8 while having 12 different players register at least one point on the day. Sam Pion and Ashley Pelkey led the attack with two goals apiece, while Aimee Briand added three points (1g, 2a), as Castleton captured its sixth straight victory to start the year. The Bison, meanwhile, drop to 0-6 overall and 0-4 in the conference.     

Following a scoreless 30 minutes of play to start the game, the Spartans opened the waterworks by netting three goals in a span of 2:47 to take the lead. Pelkey began the scoring in the second when she notched her first score of the season just past the midway point in the frame. Hannah Rose skated behind the net before dishing the puck off in the crease to Pelkey, who finished it just inside the far post for the first score of the day. 

Just over two minutes later, Lisa Kilroy found the back of the net on a power play opportunity to double the Castleton advantage. Hannah Wright fired a shot from the far point that was saved by Lindsay O'Connell, but Kilroy was there to tap home the rebound and put the Spartans in front, 2-0. 

The hosts capped off their second-period scoring with their third strike in a span of 2:47 to grab a 3-0 lead. Pion received a pass at the top of the point before firing a shot through traffic that deflected off a defender and past the goalie, extending Castleton's advantage to three.

The Spartans maintained their offensive momentum in the third, as Pion netted her second goal of the day and fourth in the last two games to hand the club a four-goal advantage. Taylor Steadman dished the puck off to Pion, and the senior beat the goalie with a slapshot to give the hosts a four-goal lead just 35 seconds into the frame.

Sabrina Hosner tacked on the fifth score of the day with a power play goal at the 9:24 mark before Briand and Rachel Elliott tallied their first career scores in a Castleton uniform to extend the Spartan lead to seven.

With less than five minutes remaining in regulation, Pelkey cleaned up a rebound in front of the net to complete her first career multi-point game and secure a Castleton 8-0 victory. 

Jess Cameron improved to 6-0 on the season after producing six saves in 40 minutes of action. Rachael Brazil relieved her for the final period of play, tallying two saves to maintain the squad's second shutout of the year. O'Connell suffered the loss for Nichols after recording 38 saves, while Lauren Bennett played the final 7:19 of regulation in net with five saves.

Castleton is back in action next weekend when it hosts Manhattanville and Salve Regina on back-to-back days at Spartan Arena.