ALBANY, N.Y. – The Vermont State University Castleton men's soccer team kicked off the 2025 season Friday night at Russell Sage with a tough 2-1 loss to the Gators.

The Basics:

• Final Score: 2-1 Sage
• Location: Albany, N.Y. – ACP Athletic Complex
• Records: Sage 1-0-0 | Castleton 0-1-0

How it Happened:

• The Gators struck first in the 18th minute, taking a 1-0 lead before the Spartans found their footing as the season got underway.
• Seth Dube found an answer in the 30th minute, with his first goal of the season from a rebound off the goalkeeper to even the play at one apiece.
• Xander Berthiaume notched two saves before the first half came to a close, using the momentum from Dube along with his back line to keep the Gators in check.
• The second half saw back-and-forth action, with neither team breaking through to take the lead, until the 85th minute, when the Gators scored again, securing the 2-1 lead.
• Castleton outshot Sage 6-4, with the goalies on both sides putting up two saves throughout the second half.

By the Numbers:

• Dube, Matt Spiller, Jacques Alfani, and Sean Butler had one shot on goal each.
• Berthiaume made four saves over the full 90 minutes.

What's Next:
The team heads up north on Sunday, August 31, to take on in-state rival Norwich at 1 p.m.