CASTLETON, Vt. – The Castleton University men's soccer team left it until the final five minutes before Stanley Andersen scored the game-winning goal to lift the Spartans to victory in their first Little East Conference contest of the season on Saturday over University of Southern Maine.
 
Gonzalaiz Arakaza took a shot from the left side of the box that was saved by Hayes Estrella, but Andersen was waiting on the doorstep and powered it home in the 86th minute to give Castleton a 1-0 lead that led to victory. Andres Soto-Burgos stood up to the test on the other side of the pitch, stopping all five shots he faced to record the clean sheet.
 
Five different players had shots on goal for USM, but none could get past Soto-Burgos in the Spartan win. Estrella stopped just two shots and allowed one goal in the contest.
 
The play was back-and-forth with few chances in the opening 45 minutes, but Tumba Felekini had Castleton's best chance of the half in the final seconds when he ripped a one-timer from the middle or the box that was smothered by Estrella. Soto-Burgos had made two saves of his own in the six minutes leading up to Felekini's opportunity.
 
Southern Maine put three more shots on goal in the first 30 minutes of the second half, controlling play for a period of time before Castleton tilted the field back to its offensive end. In the 86th minute, Arakaza collected the ball on the left side before dribbling into the box and letting go a shot that found the foot of Andersen after a save by Estrella. Southern Maine had one more chance with a corner kick in the 88th minute, but any opportunity was turned away by the Spartan defense to seal the victory, 1-0.
 
Castleton returns to action Wednesday night at 4 p.m. when Nichols comes to Dave Wolk Stadium.