RUTLAND, Vt. – The Vermont State University women's hockey team improved to 4-8-1 in the New England Hockey Conference after defeating Salem St. 3-1 Friday evening.

Castleton dominated the first period, putting up 20 shots to Salem's seven. However, Salem would be the ones to get on the board first after the deflection bounced its way into the net to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead.

The second period was an up-and-down battle between both sides but they stayed scoreless. Victoria Bakopanos took the net for the Spartans, making 22 saves and picking up her sixth victory on the season. Meg Aiken was outstanding on the faceoffs, coming away with a season-high 17 wins on the dot for the Spartans.

It was all Castleton in the third period. In just 47 seconds, Emery Bonner drove down the ice and put a shot on the net that rebounded and found the blade of Moa Carlsson's stick who buried the puck on the second chance opportunity to tie the game.

The Spartans continued to control the game at their own pace. Brooke Noble and Victoria Griffin connected with Meg Aiken halfway through the third, who beat the last defender and slotted her shot between the goalie's legs to give Castleton a 2-1 lead.

Castleton didn't stop there as Eva Hofmeister passed the puck along the blue line to Rainey Lay who rifled a shot towards Carlsson, who was able to re-direct the puck into the top corner for her second of the game and secure Castleton with a 3-1 victory.

The two teams retake the ice tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Spartan Arena.