FITCHBURG, Mass. — The Castleton field hockey team put 21 shots on frame against Fitchburg State but fell to the Falcons, 6-2, on Friday night.
Emily Harris and Chance Jaquin scored one goal apiece. Harris and Kaitlin Bardellini each fired nine shots, combining for 12 shots on goal. Seven different Spartans registered on-target scoring attempts. Zoe Martin started her 11th game between the posts, logging six saves while Hannah Frittenburg denied four shots.
Freshman Martin was put to work early, saving the game's first shot 39 seconds in from Sophia Yates. Harris had an on-goal attempt saved and the Spartans fouled, leading to the Falcons obtaining possession. Fitchburg State went on to strike twice in the sixth minute as Sarah Craig and Lena Kassel each scored goals with assists given to Riley O'Brien and Grace Kerr. Martin collected a save later in the quarter to keep the deficit 2-0 after the opening period.
Each side struggled to convert on opportunities in the ensuing quarter as Martin shot down a pair of strikes and Falcon goalie Jenna Morse saved five true attempts. The offensive stalemate allowed Fitchburg to carry a 2-0 advantage into halftime.
Bardellini and Kassel traded shots to begin the second half, but it was not until a Spartan corner turned into a Falcon possession that a scoring chance emerged. Martin gobbled up an attempt from Kassel before Kerr gathered the rebound and put in the Falcons' third goal. The home team extended the gap to four in the 38th minute as Kassel received a pass from Sophia Piper, then maneuvered through the Castleton defense to send in her second score. Despite ten Falcon fouls and three corners, the Spartan offense continued to be suppressed as the match entered the fourth period.
The Falcons wasted little time to extend their lead, sending two errant tries before Kerr snuck a ball inside the left post, upping the score to 5-0. Bardellini had a shot saved before Harris put an end to the Spartans' scoring drought, striking from 11 yards out to make it 5-1 with 11:30 to go. Fitchburg moved quickly, drawing a penalty stroke that Kassel converted to complete a hat trick. Castleton battered the Falcon goal in the following minutes, but Morse denied all six attempts. The Falcon keeper continued to stand strong until Jaquin scored her third career goal in the 59th minute. A last-second chance for Harris was saved by Morse, finalizing the game at 6-2.
The Spartans return to action on Wednesday, October 19 against Salem State. Pass-back is slated for 6 p.m. at the Vikings' Alumni Field.
