GORHAM, Maine -- The Castleton women's hockey team nearly completed a third-period comeback, but fell short to log a 4-3 road loss at Southern Maine Friday evening.

The Spartans (3-2-0, 1-2-0 NEHC) received goals from Darby Palisi, Alex Johnson, and Brooke Greenwood. Scores were distributed by Moa Carlsson, Emery Bonner, and Kaitlin Bardellini in her first game of the season. In goal, Kirsten DiCicco stopped 15 of the Huskies' (3-4-0, 3-2-0 NEHC) shots on net. Castleton won 75 percent of faceoffs as Julia Carpenter went 21-for-25 in the circle.

Southern Maine's Madison Chagnon recorded a hat trick with three goals while Amanda Crowley added the Huskies' final score and was tabbed with a helper.

The Huskies grabbed the lead almost immediately as Chagnon found paydirt 21 seconds into the contest. In the third minute, the Spartans drew a holding penalty for a power play opportunity. An array of shots were sent at the Husky goal but Haley McKim, who went on to compile 40 saves, denied all six on-target attempts. McKim saved five shots on a late-period power play, including two from Emily Harris in the junior forward's season debut. Chagnon struck again with 33 seconds left, making it a two-goal lead for USM.

After a tame start to the second period where the squads traded possessions, an issuing of coincidental roughing penalties in the 30th minute switched the momentum almost exclusively toward the Spartans. Six minutes later, another instance of coincidental roughing was enforced followed quickly by a tripping penalty on the Huskies. Playing four-on-three, the Spartans exploited the power play as Carlsson and Bonner found Greenwood with 3:05 left to slice the deficit in half.

USM countered with a 44th-minute strike from Chagnon, then Crowley extended the Husky lead to three with seven minutes remaining. The Spartans regrouped and returned the favor as Johnson scored unassisted 49 seconds later. Palisi had a shot saved moments later, but connected on the rebound to put Castleton back within a goal. However, the Spartans were held scoreless for the final 5:43 as the Huskies gained their third NEHC win.

The Spartans are back in action tomorrow, November 19 at Salem State. Puck drop is slated for 3 p.m.