RUTLAND, Vt. – Coming off a two-game skid, the Castleton women's hockey team pounded William Smith, 4-1, Friday night to jump above .500 in New England Hockey Conference play. 

The Spartans (5-4-0, 3-2-0 NEHC) used a healthy dose of veterans and rookies in the rout as each goal was scored by a different skater. Meg Aiken, Julia Carpenter, Darby Palisi, and Brooke Greenwood found the back of the net. Katherine Campoli and Miranda Wheeler combined to block seven shots as Campoli was the distributor of two Spartan scores. Freshmen Amanda Vaughn and Ellie Schliebener were tabbed with assists on first-year Aiken's first career goal.

Junior netminder Kirsten DiCicco collected her first conference victory between the pipes in a 25-save effort, allowing a lone first-period goal.

The Herons (5-5-1, 3-4-0 NEHC) jumped to an early lead in the seventh minute as Sydney Foster scored her first collegiate goal on a rebound helper from Emily Cataldo. The advantage would not last for long as Castleton's tenacious freshman line evened it 1-1 in the tenth minute as Annie Hauser saved an Aiken shot, then Schliebener poked it back out to the Prince Edward Islander to finish.

Despite controlling the puck in the second period's beginning, the Spartan defense flexed its muscles and prevented the Heron offense from finding rhythm. With under eight minutes left in the stanza, Carlsson hit Campoli for what would have been a long-range dart but Carpenter redirected the shot around Hauser for the Michigander's second goal this season. The Spartans suppressed William Smith until the period's end with five blocks and no shots on goal.

Confidence oozed from the Spartan goalie crease in the closing period as DiCicco knocked away seven Heron shots in the first eight minutes. A tripping penalty on Emery Bonner left Castleton down a skater for two minutes but the Herons would not convert.

With 6:13 to go, Rainey Lay picked up a cross-checking foul and William Smith's offense began to click. However, DiCicco was unfazed and gathered six saves in less than a minute followed by a Heron high-sticking call. Nine ticks later, Campoli and Greenwood served Palisi a score to make it 3-1. Lay exited the box and the Spartans were on a power play, converting as Greenwood added the final dagger with assists given to Palisi and Samantha Lawler.

The Spartans will regroup for another NEHC contest, hosting defending league champion Elmira on Saturday, December 3 at 3 p.m.