GORHAM, Me. - The Castleton field hockey team went toe-to-toe against a tough Southern Maine group Saturday afternoon, but couldn't force extra time, falling 4-3 to the Huskies on a last-minute goal.

The Spartans (4-8, 2-4 LEC) got on the board first in the opening frame off of a Southern Maine turnover. Emily Harris stole the ball in the opposing half and beat the Huskies' backline before slipping the ball past Southern Maine's keeper and into the far corner of the cage. Castleton would be outshot 6-1 in the quarter and concede seven penalty corners to an aggressive Huskies attack, but finished the first up 1-0.

The pressure Southern Maine (7-6, 5-2 LEC) put on became too much for the Spartans in the second quarter, and the Huskies would level the score two minutes in. On their eighth corner of the day, Mary Keef sent her shot toward the far post where Sage Drinkwater was waiting for the redirect, sneaking it into the near post to make it a 1-1 game.

Southern Maine would score two more unanswered to give themselves a 3-1 lead with seven minutes left in the third, forcing Castleton to mount the comeback.

With two minutes remaining in the third, Harris carried the ball into the cirlce and had her shot blocked, but waiting for the rebound was Kaitlin Bardellini, who one-timed the loose ball into the open cage to make it a one-score game. The junior is now up to five goals to go along with her eight assists, which ties her career-high set in 2019.

Just over one minute into the final quarter it was Harris who struck again to tie the game up at three. The sophomore took the ball into the circle, beating multiple Southern Maine defenders down the left side before scooping the ball up and over the Huskies' goalie to once again level the score.

The goal was Harris' second of the game and 17th of the year, putting her in the top-10 in Castleton history for goals in a season with six games remaining.

Both teams went even over the next 10 minutes with goalie Maddie Leduc and the Spartans' backline holding off Southern Maine's attack, but with just 80 seconds left in regulation the Huskies' Brooke Carson broke through to score the game-winner and hand Castleton the loss.

The Spartans will look to rebound early next week, with a matchup against Worcester State Tuesday, Oct. 12. First pass is set for 7 p.m.