CASTLETON, Vt. – Despite a late rally, which saw the Spartans cut the Eagles lead to just one with eight minutes remaining, the Castleton University field hockey team fell 4-2 to Husson University on Senior Day.

Castleton falls to 8-8 overall, while it dropped to the .500-mark at 2-2 in the North Atlantic Conference. Husson improves to 8-3 and stays unscathed at 4-0 in league action.

With slightly under 11 minutes remaining in the second half and the score 3-1 in favor of the visitors, the Spartans firmly gained the momentum. Sarah Wells led the ball downfield, breaking away from the Husson defender before she crossed it to Emily Lowell. The latter ripped the ball past Anne Marie Provencal – the Eagle keeper – on her left side to bring the tally to 3-2.

In the following minutes, Castleton followed with a number of charges toward the opposing cage.

Husson's Taylor Shaw effectively ended the Spartan rally just eight minutes later as she slipped past Castleton's Leah Holland in front of the cage. Also punching the ball past a Castleton defender, Shaw notched her eighth of the year and put the Eagles up 4-2.

Beginning the scoring for the Spartans was Casey Traill, who ripped a one-timer past Provencal off an entry from Gabriella Hunt in the 49th minute.

Sadie Royer and Lauren Russell of the visiting squad notched the game's first two goals in the 21st and 32nd minutes, respectively. Royer was able to take Holland one-on-one with a late juke to get it past, while Russell slapped a backhand shot off a pass from Royer.

In the cage, Provencal was a game changer. Although only making eight saves, the keeper was all over the place, helping anchor a stifling Eagle defense. On the Spartans side, Holland was just as impressive, fighting off a flurry of opposing shots. She made 13 saves in the game.

Castleton returns to action at 6 p.m. on Wednesday for a nonconference battle against Fitchburg State, under the lights at Spartan Stadium.

@CastletonSports | IG: castletonsports | FB: Castleton University Athletics