BANGOR, Maine – The Castleton University field hockey team dropped a 4-3 contest to the University of Maine-Farmington in the first North Atlantic Conference Championship semifinal at Husson University's Dr. John W. Winkin Sports Complex on Friday afternoon.

With the loss, Castleton ends its season at 11-9, while UMaine-Farmington improves to 8-9 and advances to the NAC Championship Final to be played on the same field at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

The Spartans controlled the pace of play early, being the aggressors from the starting whistle. Claiming a 1-0 lead less than five minutes in, senior Mariah Linnett scored in the midst of a scrum in front of the Beaver cage.

UMaine-Farmington gained its footing and bounced back. No less than 14 minutes later, the Beavers' Jenessa Talarico netted the equalizer with help from Emmah Spahr.

Continuing the attack, the Beavers grabbed the lead about three minutes later as Talarico scored for the second time. Scoring on her own rebound at 13:25, she was able to clinch the lead for UMF heading into the halftime break.

Tashia Pashby-Rockwood made two tremendous saves in the first half to keep Castleton in the game. The Beavers had a two-on-zero chance that was stonewalled by the sophomore netminder. Pashby-Rockwood eventually took the loss; despite making a career-high 24 saves.

UMaine-Farmington and Emma Martineau took advantage of an early penalty shot and extended their lead to 3-1 with 31:44 left in the second half. Yet, in the 22nd minute of the second half, Rachel Holland shortened the UMF lead back to one at 3-2 with a goal off a penalty corner.

The Beaver's Talarico was not to be stopped during the afternoon, completing the hat trick. It would eventually become the game-winning goal after recently named NAC Player of the Year Emily Lowell scored her team- and conference-leading 17th goal of the 2017 campaign.

In the game's 70th minute, Lowell wristed a penalty shot past the UMaine-Farmington keeper to bring the score to the final of 4-3.

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