PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Castleton University women's lacrosse team saw its season come to a close on Tuesday night as the Spartans were eliminated from the Little East Conference Tournament by Plymouth State by a final score of 21-2.
 
The sixth-seeded Spartans wrap up the year with a 3-9 record, while Plymouth State, the No. 3 seed, improves to 6-2 overall and will face the No. 2-seeded University of Southern Maine in the LEC Semifinals on Thursday.
 
Plymouth State outshot Castleton 38-13 on the day, and collected a 24-8 edge in ground balls. The Spartans were just 9-of-19 on the clear, with Plymouth converting 14-of-15 on the day. The Panthers won 15 draws to Castleton's nine, and committed just seven turnovers while the Spartans had 18 miscues.
 
Ryanne Mix was Castleton's first goal scorer, etching her name on the scoresheet with 10:29 to play in the opening half. Kimberly McCarthy added a late tally, her 27th of the year, with just 1:33 to play in the game. Lacey Greenamyre assisted on McCarthy's score. Mix, Aubra Linn and Greenamyre had three draw controls each, while Calista Carl caused two turnovers on defense. Raven Payne racked up 15 saves in the loss and finished the season with 131 total saves—eighth most in a single season in school history.
 
Olivia Croke had eight points on five goals and three assists for Plymouth State, and Emily Santom added six points on four goals and two helpers. Kaylee St. Laurent had a hat trick of her own, with four other Panthers scoring two goals each. Meaghan Allard racked up a game-high seven ground balls and stopped seven of the nine shots she faced in goal in the victory.
 
Payne kept Castleton in the game early, making a number of point-blank saves in the opening minutes. The Panther offense became too much for the Spartan defense to contain, however, as the Panthers scored a flurry of goals to take a 6-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game. The lead stretched to 10-0 with 11:58 remaining, before the Spartans broke into the scoring column 89 seconds later when Mix found twine. The junior carried the ball from below the goal line and juked a defender before letting go a shot as she fell to the ground, beating Plymouth's Allard for the score.
 
The second half was all Plymouth State, as the Panthers controlled the pace of play with the running clock working in their favor. The lead grew to 21-1 late in the contest before McCarthy took a pass over the top of the Panther defense from Greenamyre and buried a shot with 1:33 to play, capping the game's scoring at 21-2.