PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Vermont State University Castleton field hockey team defeated Little East opponent Plymouth Wednesday evening, 3-2.
 
Rookie Emilee Higgins started the scoring for the Spartans, finding the back of the cage off a shot from Gwyn Vincent to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead six minutes into the first quarter. The rest of the quarter went back-and-forth with the teams trading shots, but neither side found the back of the cage. The Panthers opened the second quarter with a scoring opportunity that was stopped by Sarah Heath for her first defensive save of the season. Sarah Adamske got the Panthers on the board shortly after her first shot was stopped to tie the game up at one apiece heading into halftime.
 
Six minutes into the third quarter, the Spartans earned a penalty stroke with junior Jess Smithson taking it. Smithson converted to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead with 14 minutes remaining in the game. The Panthers outshot the Spartans 6-2 in the third quarter with Zoe Martin making her last save of the day shortly after the Spartans second goal to give her six on the day.
 
The Spartans insurance goal came four minutes into the fourth quarter with Peyton Richardson redirecting a strong hit from Smithson, to put the Spartans up 3-1. The Panthers found the back of the cage with three minutes remaining in the game to get within one with a penalty corner opportunity right after but could not convert, giving the Spartans the 3-2 victory.
 
With this win, the Spartans have claimed at least a share of the 2024 Little East Conference field hockey regular season title and secured the No. 1 seed in next week's Little East Conference tournament. The Spartans can claim the outright regular season championship with a win in Saturday's contest.
 
The Spartans will honor their seniors before the final game of the regular season at Dave Wolk Stadium on Saturday, November 2 at 11 a.m.