RUTLAND, Vt. -- The Castleton University women's ice hockey team failed to complete the weekend sweep as it dropped a narrow 2-1 decision to Norwich Sunday afternoon at Spartan Arena.
 
The contest was competitive from the jump as both teams had chances to break the deadlock. In a scoreless first period, the Spartans (3-2-1) led with nine shots on goal, while the Cadets (1-1) were not far behind, with seven.
 
The Cadets scored the opening goal and took the lead midway through the second period. After a scrum in front of the Spartans' net, which sent goaltender Kirsten DiCicco sprawling, Ann-Frederique Guay punched the puck past DiCicco's right post.
 
The Spartans evened the scoring shortly after as Kaitlin Bardellini tallied her second goal of the season. Returning to the score sheet for the first time since scoring the Spartans' opening goal of the 2020-21 season, Bardellini was the beneficiary of a Cadet turnover at the 17:38 mark of the period. Bardellini was able to steal the puck at the right of the Cadets' net and scored point-blank range over the left shoulder of goaltender Leocadia Clark.
 
An early third-period goal decided the game as the Cadets regained the lead at the 3:33 mark. As the Cadets put the pressure on the Spartans' defense, Kayla Goleniak sent a shot in from the left side of the net that flew by DiCicco, giving the Cadets a 2-1 advantage.
 
In another stellar performance, DiCicco finished the game with 17 saves; while her counterpart Clark tallied a game-high 21.
 
Castleton returns to action Friday, March 5, as it once again travels to Northfield, Vt. to take on Norwich with a puck drop slated for 5 p.m.