POTSDAM N.Y. – Vermont State University Castleton women's hockey opened their season with a loss to SUNY Potsdam Saturday afternoon, 3-2.
 
VTSU Castleton traveled to SUNY Potsdam to kick off the 2023-24 season against the Bears. With some new faces and changes to the lines, the Spartans took the ice looking to secure the win. The Bears had other plans in mind, as Potsdam scored the opening goal in Saturday's game. The two teams were a bit sloppy on the ice, as 13 penalties were called in the game. In the final minutes of the first period, Castleton would be awarded a power play opportunity, where they went on to capitalize on. In her first career game, Taylor Adams buried the puck into the back of the net to get the first goal for the Spartans this season. Captain Katie Campoli and Ellie Schliebener set Adams up for the play, only needing 51 seconds on the opportunity.
 
Potsdams' Kaylee Merrill would be the difference maker for the Bears, scoring the games next two goals to give the Bears a 3-1 lead. A plethora of the game's penalties came in the third period and Castleton found themselves with multiple power plays to get back into the game. With 8 minutes left to go in the third, Alex Johnson and Julia Carpenter connected with one another to find Adams again on the power play to score her second goal of the game.
 
Senior goalkeeper Kirsten DiCicco had a valiant first game, with 31 saves in her season debut. DiCicco would be pulled for the final minutes of the game to get the extra skater on ice for the Spartans last chance rally. However, the Bears would hold their ground and keep the Spartans from tying the game.
 
The Spartans make their home debut at Spartan arena Friday, November, 3 at 6 p.m. in NEHC action against Johnson & Wales.