CASTLETON, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's lacrosse team fell victim to a high-powered Eastern Connecticut State offense on Saturday morning, dropping a Little East Conference tilt 17-4 at Dave Wolk Stadium.
 
The Spartans (2-10, 1-2 LEC) played much stronger in the second half, but a 12-0 differential at halftime was enough to power the Warriors (6-6, 2-0 LEC) to victory. Eastern outshot Castleton 29-11 on goal and had a 27-17 edge in ground balls. The Spartans won the draw control battle 13-12 but struggled on the clear, going just 9-for-24 compared to the Warriors' 13-of-14 mark.
 
Phoebe Loomis netted a hat-trick for the Spartans in the contest with Megan Ward chipping in the Spartans' other tally. Tien Connor had an assist as well. Colleen Sheridan had three caused turnovers and Kailyn August and Kimberly McCarthy had three ground balls each. McCarthy and Ward each nabbed five draw controls in the contest, pushing both of them to the 100-career draw control milestone in the contest. They are just the 13th and 14th players in program history to reach the milestone for a career. Liv Cormier made a dozen saves in the contest, her fourth double-digit save game of the season and just one shy of a career-high mark.
 
Sydney Goyette led all players with five points in the contest thanks to three goals and two assists while Jessie Pyrek-Bennett had four goals and Alexa Vizzini had three of her own. Kaylee Drobish had five draw controls and three caused turnovers for the Warriors as well. Mackenzie Brown earned the win in goal with four saves and no goals against in 30 minutes of action.
 
The Warriors outscored Castleton 6-0 in each of the first two quarters to build a 12-0 lead at halftime, but the Spartans hung tough in the second half. Loomis scored early in the second half before a pair of Warrior goals closed the third at 14-1. Ward scored the first goal of the fourth before Eastern added two more. Loomis netted her second of the day midway through the frame and tallied the last goal of the game with 3:18 left for a 17-4 final.
 
The Spartans honored five seniors prior to the game as the season begins to enter the home stretch. Sheridan, Annie Duprey, Connor, August and McCarthy comprise the Spartan women's lacrosse class of 2024.
 
The Spartans are home once more on April 16 at 4 p.m. against Keene State at Dave Wolk Stadium.