NORTHFIELD, Vt. – In a back-and-forth affair that saw the Castleton women's hockey team hold the lead on three separate occasions, the Spartans were unable to close out in a 4-3 overtime loss to Norwich Saturday afternoon.
 
Despite getting outshot for the majority of the first period, it was Castleton (3-2-0, 1-1-0 NEHC) getting on the board first. Fifteen seconds into their first power play of the day, Courtney Gauthier found the back of the net off a feed from Ryanne Mix to make it a 1-0 game 11 minutes in.
 
The Spartans have now scored on four of their 20 power plays to start the year, with this goal pushing Gauthier's season total up to four.
 
It looked as though Castleton would enter the first intermission up one, but a last-second power play goal from Norwich (4-1-0, 4-0-0 NEHC) would level the score just before the break.
 
The Cadets tried relentlessly to make it a 2-1 game at the start of the second period, but some stellar play from Miranda Wheeler and netminder Kirsten DiCicco kept it even at one through four minutes. Wheeler was a brick wall all night in the Spartans' zone, blocking a career-best seven shots, while DiCicco tallied an impressive 44 saves on the night.
 
After containing Norwich's attack to open the period, Castleton went on the offensive and converted almost immediately, with Emily Harris' third goal of the season putting the Spartans back on top five minutes in.
 
Just over halfway into the period, however, the Cadets found themselves with the player advantage after a Wheeler penalty and were able to capitalize once again to tie the game at two. The sides would trade blows for the remainder of the frame, but nothing would get past either goaltender and the game would enter the final period level.
 
Sixteen minutes into the third period the score remained 2-2, until Assistant Captain Darby Palisi found the puck at her stick off a rebound and slotted the puck home to give the Spartans their third lead of the night.
 
Needing a response, the Cadets pulled their goalie at the 18:28 mark, and with the 6-5 advantage took just 10 seconds to once again tie the game and force overtime.
 
Despite Castleton winning the face-off, Norwich controlled the overtime period before scoring the game-winner just over a minute in to complete the comeback and hand the Spartans the tough loss.
 
Castleton will look to rebound next weekend when they return home to face off against Salem State University Friday, Nov. 19, with puck drop set for 6 p.m.