SALEM, Mass. – An offensive blitz propelled Castleton field hockey to a 7-1 victory over Salem State on Wednesday evening.
Kaitlin Bardellini led the way with three scores, her second career hat trick in a Little East Conference contest and second of the year. Emily Harris got involved in six of the Spartans' (8-7, 6-3 LEC) seven goals, scoring two with a career-high four assists. Harris leads all of Division III with 3.68 points and 1.64 goals per game. Kimberly McCarthy made an impact as the junior from Long Island put in her first goal of the season. Freshmen Chance Jaquin and Jess Smithson had one-goal and two-assist nights, respectively. Freshman goalkeeper Zoe Martin allowed a lone score while saving five shots on goal.
Five different Spartans logged shots on goal before McCarthy corralled a rebounded try from Harris and bagged the night's opening score. The Vikings (4-9, 2-7 LEC) struck back late in the first quarter as Mikayla Mason tossed in the equalizer with 36 seconds left, ending the opening 15 tied 1-1.
After a quiet start to the ensuing quarter, the British connection returned to the pitch as Smithson found Harris after a corner to put the Spartans ahead once again. The visitors drew two more corners in the following minutes, converting on the last as Harris hit Jaquin to extend the Castleton lead. The Spartans jumped at their next offensive chance that saw Bardellini slam in a helper from Harris in the 30th minute, capping the three-goal period and heading to the break leading 4-1.
Castleton came out of halftime blazing as Harris, Peyton Richardson, and Haley Corlew fired on-target shots in the first three minutes while holding the Vikings to none. Martin snatched a promising attempt from Stephanie Santorella, flipping the field to let the Spartan offense go to work. Ever-active Bardellini had a 37th-minute shot saved before hammering a dart to the back of the net, making it 5-1. Smithson and Harris combined for another edition of English offence in the 44th minute to extend the gap to five.
Four minutes into the fourth quarter, Bardellini fired the score-ending dagger to earn the hat trick off the assist from Harris. With the exception of one Viking attempt that Martin denied, the Spartans dominated the final 15, even as Salem State had two minutes on power play. Bardellini had a last-chance shot hit the post as the Spartans celebrated halting a two-game LEC skid with the 7-1 victory.
The Spartans are back on the road at Westfield State on Saturday, October 22 at 7 p.m.
