CASTLETON, Vt. – Following a first-half Colby-Sawyer score, Castleton returned with three in the second to clinch a victory in its first North Atlantic Conference contest of the season.

Castleton improves to 4-5 overall and 1-0 in the NAC, while Colby-Sawyer College drops to 4-3 and 0-1 in league play.

In rapid succession, Castleton surged ahead and did not look back. Rachel Holland took the ball inside the arc before lining it between Charger keeper Abby Ladd's legs. Mariah Linnett found it and redirected it into the goal for her second goal of the season.

Less than two minutes later – at the 62:55 mark – Casey Traill nearly mimicked her teammate by sending a cross from Gabriella Hunt past the goalkeeper's left side.

Earlier, in the 52nd minute, Emily Lowell notched her team-leading sixth score of the year. She was awarded a penalty stroke after a scrum in front of the goal saw multiple players go down.

Colby-Sawyer scored the game's first goal when Paige Viens scored off the penalty corner, which she initiated. Viens passed it into Julia Lanctot, who then sent it inside the arc where the former slapped it into the cage.

Leah Holland turned in another great performance to improve to 3-1 on the year. She made six saves while allowing one score. On the other hand, Ladd took the loss, while making two saves in 70 minutes played.

The Spartans will return to the field at 1 p.m. on Sunday to host nonconference opponent Becker College.

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