PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Castleton field hockey team was outlasted by Plymouth State, 4-3, in overtime Wednesday afternoon.
The Spartans' (6-5, 4-1 LEC) loss marked their first in Little East action this season after entering the contest outscoring conference foes 24-0. Emily Harris supplied Castleton with two goals while Kaitlin Bardellini added a score. Harris and Bardellini fired seven and four shots on goal, respectively, while Genevieve Pitts also fired an on-target attempt. Jess Smithson earned the Spartans' lone assist, connecting with Harris. Facing ten shots on goal, Zoe Martin collected six saves on the day. The Panthers (7-3, 5-1 LEC) won on their first golden goal of the season after allowing two in overtime losses to begin the season.
The first shot of the contest was delivered by Harris, an on-target strike that gave Castleton a 1-0 lead at the three-minute mark. Drawing back-to-back corners in the following minute, the Panthers could not find a scoring opportunity as the Spartan defense held its own. Bardellini found the back of the net midway through the quarter, her first score since the golden goal at New England College.
Plymouth State began to find scoring opportunities as the half wore on but Zoe Martin stood firm between the posts, saving four shots on goal until Taylor Healey converted a penalty stroke with eight minutes left. The Panthers wasted little time to attack once more as Alessia Salzillo connected with Jenna Stowell off a corner, making the score 2-2 into halftime.
Looking to right the ship early in the second half, the Spartans drew nine Panther fouls and spurred a pair of corners. Subsequent shots from Smithson and Harris were off-line but the visitors pushed on, allowing just one PSU corner in the third quarter. An attempt by Harris with seven seconds to go flew wide, keeping the score knotted at two into the final 15 minutes.
The Panthers capitalized on a trio of fouls and Athena Comeau buried the go-ahead score in the 47th minute. Castleton stormed back as Smithson found Harris following a corner for the equalizer with 11 minutes remaining. Both goalies locked down as Martin collected a pair of saves and Kayla Antonucci denied five shots in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Harris got into scoring territory but had her shot saved by Antonucci. The Spartans drew two corners but would not capitalize as Plymouth State drove down the field, ending in Stowell finding Healey for the golden goal.
The Spartans return home to Dave Wolk Stadium on Saturday, October 8 for a match at noon against Southern Maine.
