RUTLAND, Vt. – Vermont State University Castleton women's hockey defeated Salem St. 5-1 Friday evening.
 
VTSU Castleton faced off against New England Hockey Conference Salem St. Friday evening at Spartan Arena. Both teams came into the game looking for bounce back wins, after taking losses earlier in the week. With puck drop taking place, the Spartans turned on the heat right from the start. They cycled the puck well, found open teammates and kept the puck out of their defensive zone for most of the first period. A frustrated Vikings team slipped up and earned themselves a penalty late in the first period. With the Spartans on the power play, Victoria Griffin created space and dished the puck to Emily Harris, who cycled behind the net and found an open Meg Aiken to hit the one time shot to get the Spartans on the board first.
 
With being down one heading into the second period, the Vikings picked up the pace and started to find their game for the first time. However, Kara Boassaly had other plans for the Vikings. Boassaly had great composure and made her presence known throughout the game with two shutout periods and 25 saves in her season debut. With Boassaly shutting down the Vikings, the Spartans stayed focused on their game and established themselves as enforceres throughtout the match. Megan Ward fought alongside the boards and sent a returning puck back to Eva Hofmiester, who reset the play and found an open Taylor Adams down the wing. Adams glided past the only defender and slotted one short side to put the Spartans up by two heading into the final period.
 
The Spartans continued to handle the Vikings in the third period. Adams skated up the defensive zone and found Alex Johnson open on the wing, who beat the defender and sniped the top corner to extend Castleton's lead to three. Just moments after Johnson's goal, Julia Carpenter rushed Salem's defense, yanked the puck away behind the net and dished to an open Amanda Vaughn who set herself up for the open play and bagged her first career goal. Salem would squeeze one past Boassaly late in the third period but the Spartans answered back instantly. Carpenter in a very similar play from before, rushed the defense, took the puck for herself and cycled it down the boards to an open Moa Carlsson. Carlsson turned, found the open ice and ripped one past the goalie to secure the final goal of the game.
 
The Spartans improve to 4-4-1 on the season and 3-1-1 in NEHC play. Castleton is back in action tomorrow, December 2 at Spartan Arena for another NEHC match up, against Southern Maine at 3 p.m.