NEW LONDON, N.H. – Castleton looked primed for an upset against second-seeded Maine Maritime in the North Atlantic Conference Semifinals after taking the first set, but dropped the last three to fall 3-1 on Friday evening at Colby-Sawyer College. 

The Spartans opened the match by winning the first set 26-24 before falling 25-17, 25-19 and 25-19 to fall in the NAC Semifinals for the second time in the last three seasons. Castleton hit just -.072 in the match with 22 kills but had 82 digs and eight aces while the Mariners hit .117 with 79 digs and 52 kills. 

Maine Maritime jumped ahead early in the first set, but the Spartans tied it up 10-10 on a kill by Amanda Chambers. The score went back and forth with the teams drawing even at 20, 21, 22 and 23 apiece. An attack error gave Castleton a 24-23 lead before the Mariners tied it up. However they had a service error and attack error to give the Spartans a 26-24 win. 

Castleton fell behind early in the second set before closing within two, 10-8, on a Brittany Brayman kill. However, an 8-2 run gave Maine Maritime a 18-10 lead on the way to a 25-17 victory. 

The Spartans responded by taking the first seven points of the third set with Alex Madsen serving. Unfortunately the Mariners made a run to close within two, 11-9. They eventually tied it up 13-13 as part of an 8-0 spurt which put them on top 17-13 before earning the 25-19 win. 

Castleton kept it close early in the fourth set, but a 7-0 run gave Maine Maritime a 19-10 lead and they didn't look back, taking the match by six, 25-19. 

Brayman posted nine kills and 17 digs as one of five players to record double digit digs. Madsen added a double-double of 16 assists and 12 digs with two blocks and two aces while Chambers recorded 17 digs and five kills. Cassidy Tedeschi contributed 15 digs and two aces. 

NAC Player of the Year Gillian O'Neal anchored the Mariners with 16 kills and 19 digs while Tess Clark was also impressive with 15 kills and 14 digs. Melissa Spaulding dished off 46 assists with 13 digs while Jessica Menges had 12 kills and 16 digs. 

The Spartans conclude their season with a 13-10 record, their first winning season since 2009 and the second-most wins in program history.