TROY, N.Y. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's soccer team fell to RPI on Wednesday evening, 3-2.

VTSU Castleton and RPI battled in a non-conference matchup Wednesday evening. The Engineers put the pressure on Castleton's defense throughout most of the contest. Sophomores Gwen Bridges and Kristina O'Neil kept the Spartans defense composed and helped shut down RPI's offensive threat.  

Junior Emma Ezzo came up big for the Spartans with two acrobatic saves coming in the 58th and 65th minute to keep the game scoreless. She ended with a season-high 11 saves in Wednesday's contest. 

The Engineers continued their relentless attack and found themselves with a pair of goals just a couple of minutes apart in the 77th minute. Despite the late goals, Castleton stayed focused on getting back into the game and they did just that with the help from senior Alexis Billings. 


Billings collected a ball that was cleared from the Spartans defensive zone and drove down the field, rifling a shot high and past the keeper from 30 yards out to get Castleton back into the mix in the 79th minute. The Spartans took the momentum and began putting pressure on the Engineers. Junior Maggie McKearin intercepted the ball and played Billings into the Engineers defense, where she blasted another opportunity from outside the 18 yard box and put it away to tie the game 2-2 in the 84th minute.

The Spartans comeback would go on to be halted, as RPI's Micaela Ross found a rebound off Ezzo's original save and gave the Engineers the game-winning goal in the final minutes of the half. 

VTSU Castleton returns to action on Saturday, September 14 at 3:00 p.m. against SUNY Potsdam at Dave Wolk Stadium.