RUTLAND, Vt. – The Castleton women's hockey team fell for just the second time this season, dropping the championship game of the Rutland Herald Invitational by a final score of 4-1 to Holy Cross.

The Crusaders (12-2-0) used the power of four unanswered goals to win the tournament for the fourth consecutive season. The Spartans now sit at 10-2-2 on the season with the loss.

Hannah Rose scored the lone goal for the Spartans, while Jess Cameron posted her third fifty-save game of the season en route to earning All-Tournament honors as a goaltender.

Castleton opened the scoring in the contest, finding the back of the net less than six minutes into the game. Hannah Rose collected her sixth goal of the season when she took a pass from Anna Daniels at the left faceoff circle and ripped a wrist shot inside the near post for the 1-0 lead. Holy Cross would answer just more than one minute later, when Taylor McGee corralled a loose puck before skating in and scoring one-on-one, shorthanded, to draw the game even at 1-1.

Entering the second frame with game still level at 1-1, Holy Cross picked up the offensive pressure. The Crusaders put an impressive 21 shots on goal in the period, but Cameron stood tall and kept the game even for most of the period. Holy Cross broke into the goal column once again with just six seconds left on the clock, when All-Tournament selection Mackenzie Boardman scored unassisted to send the Crusaders into the locker room up 2-1.

The Crusaders kept the momentum following the intermission, scoring a pair of quick goals to jump out to a 4-1 lead early in the third period. Sam Girard opened the scoring in the frame just 2:11 in, giving her squad a two-goal advantage on an assist from Maeve Reilly. Just more than one minute later, Izzy Bagi found the back of the net on the power play for the Crusaders to take a three-goal lead that the team would carry to the final horn.

Cameron collected 56 saves in just her second loss of the season, while Tessie Salatas moved to 5-0-0 on the year with a 26-save performace, earning herself tournament Most Valuable Player honors.

The Crusaders held a 60-27 shot advantage in the game, while the Spartans won 33 out of 54 faceoffs on the day. Each team had four chances on the power play, with Holy Cross converting one of the chances into a goal. The Spartans failed to find the back of the net with a player advantage, going 0-4 on the day.

Castleton's Taylor Steadman was also named to the All-Tournament team, joining Cameron. Erin Hall earned All-Tournament honors for Holy Cross, joining teammates Boardman and Salatas.

Castleton is back in action on Friday, January 15, when they travel to Plymouth St. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

2015-16 Rutland Herald Invitational All-Tournament Team

D – Kat Mackey – Colby
F – Joran Roetzer - Manhattanville
F – Taylor Steadman – Castleton
G – Jess Cameron – Castleton
D – Erin Hall – Holy Cross
F – Mackenzie Boardman – Holy Cross
MVP – G – Tessie Salatas – Holy Cross