RUTLAND, Vt. — The Castleton women's hockey team dropped its first New England Hockey Conference game to ninth-ranked Norwich, 3-1, on Friday night at Spartan Arena.
Despite an early strike from Moa Carlsson helped by Meg Aiken, the Spartans (2-1-0, 0-1-0 NEHC) were outlasted by the Cadets (3-0-0, 2-0-0 NEHC) who rallied to score three unanswered goals. Kirsten DiCicco put together a solid performance in goal, saving 36 shots with two scores allowed. Eight different Spartans logged one shot block apiece.
The Cadets got off to a fierce start, taking the contest's first nine shots and spending four minutes on power play. Once the Spartans got back to even strength, DiCicco saved four shots and Ellie Schliebener registered a block in a five-minute span. A 16th-minute slashing penalty on the Cadets allowed the Spartans to attack as Samantha Lawler launched a pair of on-target shots but none found net. The home team broke through in the 19th minute when Aiken won a faceoff and immediately hit Carlsson who delivered her second career goal.
The Spartans were hit with a delay of game penalty to start the second period, then Maysa Ford was called for tripping four minutes later. Norwich's Mikah Baptiste put in the equalizer toward the end of the second power play. Cadet goalie Leocadia Clark denied two Spartan power-play shots, ending the advantage as Norwich began to batter the Castleton goal. The go-ahead score came in the 35th minute as Aimee Headland scored to give the Cadets a 2-1 lead into the final stanza.
The squads traded shots and won faceoffs throughout the last 20 minutes. The Spartans went on a pair of power plays, the second which came on a Norwich hooking penalty with 2:09 to play. However, the Spartans were held without a shot on goal in both man-up timeframes. DiCicco left her post with a minute to go allowing the Castleton offense a two-man advantage, but Molly Flanagan got a lucky touch that slid just inside the post with a second left to give Norwich the 3-1 win.
The Spartans close out their opening stretch of home games on Saturday, November 12 at 3 p.m. against NEHC foe New England College.
