WATERVILLE, Maine – The Castleton men's soccer team came up just short in the North Atlantic Conference Championship on Saturday afternoon, falling to Thomas College in penalty kicks after two scoreless overtime periods.

Cameron Rossi-Crete scored in the 88th minute to draw the game even at 2-2 and force overtime for the Spartans, who had trailed 2-1 for much of the second half.

After five rounds of penalty kicks, the game was still undecided as each team converted three of their opportunities. Moving into a sudden-victory format, Pasic stepped up to the line and buried a shot to put the pressure on Thomas's Adam LaBrie, who would convert his chance to keep the contest moving. Following a save by Terrier keeper Jonathan Dutka, Steede-Jackson stepped up to the line and found the back of the net for the game-winner, giving Thomas the NAC Championship for the third time in the last four seasons.

The defeat drops Castleton to 14-5-2 overall, while Thomas moves to 13-4-1.

Solo Felekeni opened the scoring in the contest in the 20th minute after Thomas Kirk sent a ball into the box that could not be cleared away by Thomas defenders. Felekeni collected the ball and slotted it home to give the Spartans the early 1-0 lead. In the 33rd minute, the Terriers found the equalizer when D.J. Nicholas took a pass from Tre Ming and found the back of the net to draw the game even at 1-1 going into the half.

Following the break, the two teams continued to battle defensively until the 71 minute mark, when London Steede-Jackson drew a foul in the box to earn Thomas a penalty kick. Ming stepped up to the line and slotted a ball into left side of the net to give the Terriers a 2-1 advantage with 19 minutes to play in regulation.

With time dwindling down, Castleton turned up the offensive pressure in search of the tying goal. The Spartans would find that goal with just 2:39 to play in regulation, when Rossi-Crete made a run into the box and headed a loose ball just over the line to draw the game even at 2-2, sending the game to overtime.

With just more than four minutes remaining in the second overtime, Nicholas struck a shot from the 18 yard line for the Terriers, but Pasic turned it away with a jumping save to keep the game locked at two goals per side. With time winding down in the final overtime period, Castleton's Steve Koenemann ripped a shot from 25 yards out that seemed destined for the top-corner before ricocheting off the crossbar and out of harms way, sending the game to penalty kicks.

Pasic stopped nine of the 11 shots that he faced in the contest, while Thomas keeper Joakim Sternas allowed goals on each of the two shots that he faced in the game. Dutka entered the game at the beginning of the first overtime for Thomas, relieving Sternas and earned the draw in the contest.

The contest was a physical affair, as the sides combined for 25 fouls and three cards in the contest. Thomas held a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks, while they outshot the Spartans 27-11.

Castleton now waits to see if it will earn a postseason bid into the ECAC Tournament.