CASTLETON, Vt. – Vermont State University Castleton field hockey kicked off the 2023 season with a 5-2 win against Union College Friday night at Dave Wolk Stadium.
 
Emily Harris picked up right where she left off last season, putting up four goals and an assist in the victory. Jess Smithson scored her first career goal in the contest and added an assist as well. Zoe Martin defended the home cage with nine saves in Friday's matchup.
 
Offensive action was firing in the first period. Union's Suzanna Wright opened the game with an early first-period goal but Emily Downing connected with Harris less than a minute later to even the score. Later on, the Spartans drew a penalty corner that would set up Smithson to find an open Harris to make it a 2-1 Spartan lead.
 
The defensive game took over the second quarter with neither side scoring again until after halftime when Harris beat multiple defenders and the goalie to light up the scoreboard with her third goal of the evening. Union looked to crawl their way back into the game with a goal to bring the score to 3-2, but the British duo of Smithson and Harris connected once again. This time Harris found Smithson who blasted one past the keeper to make it a 4-2 game entering the final quarter.
 
The fourth quarter was a lockdown period for Martin and the defense. Martin sprawled around the cage to make four saves and keep the score at two for the Garnet Chargers. Freshmen Madison Gile and Frouke Adriaens held down the line in front of Martin to keep the pressure off of their keeper. As time dwindled down, Madison Hanna was able to find Harris who snuck one last goal in to solidify the game for the Spartans.
 
The Spartans will be back in action on Sunday, September 3 at noon at Dave Wolk Stadium for a non-conference game against Husson University.