RUTLAND, Vt. -- The Castleton University women's ice hockey team, returning to Spartan Arena for the first time since January 5, took on eighth-ranked Norwich in a New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) matchup Friday afternoon. The Cadets, who won the first meeting between these two teams back in early December, tallied three first period goals as the team held the Spartans in check en route to an 8-0 win. 

The Spartans (10-8-1, 7-3-0 NEHC) came out of the gates shooting as the team controlled the pace of play for the first two minutes. Both Courtney Gauthier and Brooke Greenwood challenged the Cadets (12-4-1, 9-0-0 NEHC) early on and forced goaltender Alex Berg into action. 

The Cadets created their own offense soon after as Maddi Blauth tallied her second goal of the season at the 2:59 mark of the first period. After a scrum at the blue line near the Spartans' bench, Blauth collected and maneuvered her way through the Spartans' defense and scored a wide-open goal right over the shoulder of goaltender Alexis Kalm. 

The Cadets doubled the lead at the 7:17 mark of the period as the pressure consumed the Spartans. As the Cadets won the faceoff to the left of the Spartan's goal, the puck fell to Blossom Truel who tallied her sixth goal of the season to give the Cadets a 2-0 lead.

Amanda Conway would tally a shorthanded goal to extend the Cadets' lead at the 17:38 mark of the first period. As the Cadets cleared the puck out of their defensive zone, Conway raced down the ice and gave the Cadets a 3-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

As the Spartans looked to get back into the game heading into the second period, the Cadets extended the lead even further as Sophie McGovern scored 41 seconds into the period. McGovern would tally a power-play goal later in the period, her second goal of the game, giving the Cadets a 5-0 lead.

Kalm was pulled from the game at the 12:54 mark of the second period and was replaced by Katlyn Hathaway. Kalm finished the game stopping 22 of 27 shots she faced. Hathaway would tally 18 saves in relief but surrendered three more goals to the Cadets.

Berg earned the win for the Cadets as she tallied 16 saves.

Despite the loss, the Spartans continue to hold on to second-place in the NEHC standings. With 14 points, the Spartans are still two points clear of third-place UMass Boston.

Women's ice hockey returns to action Friday, January 31 as it travels to take on Johnson & Wales in an NEHC matchup starting at 5:55 p.m.