ELMIRA, N.Y. – The Vermont State University Castleton men's hockey team concluded the 2024-25 season with a 4-3 overtime loss to Elmira College on Saturday.

In just under a minute, Elmira's Eric Bertlesen scored the first goal of the game to give the Soaring Eagles an early lead. Elmira extended that lead with just under a minute to go in the opening period to give them a 2-0 lead.

Castleton found their first goal with sophomore Aiden Robson setting up junior Balint Mesterhazy for his second goal of the season and trial only by one to the Eagles.

Charles Watson made his fifth start in net for the Spartans. The first-year goalie made 29 saves to keep the Spartans level with Elmira throughout the contest.

Elmira scored late in the second period to gain a two-goal lead once again heading into the final period of play.

Castleton entered the third people energized, bringing the intensity to every play on the offensive and defensive side in the last 20 minutes of regulation. Castleton's intensity saw Robson light the lamp to bring the score 3-2 with 15 minutes left to go. 

In the closing minutes, Zach Papapetros buried a late opportunity to tie the game up at three and put him into a tie for second all-time in program history for defenseman scoring.

With Papapetros' goal, they went into overtime where Castleton had a couple of chances to steal one away from the Soaring Eagles, but Elmira would go on to break out for a 2-on-1 play with Bailey Krawczyk hitting the net to give Elmira the overtime victory.

VTSU Castleton ends their season 5-18-2 (3-16-1) in their final run in the NEHC. The Spartans will join the Little East Conference (LEC) with nine other programs for the inaugural season in 2025-26.