RUTLAND, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's ice hockey team suffered its first setback of 2026 as No. 12 Norwich University claimed the opening game of a two-game series, 5-0, on Friday afternoon.
 
The Basics
• Final Score: No. 12 Norwich 5, Castleton 0
• Location: Spartan Arena – Rutland, Vt.
• Records: Norwich 11-2-0 (7-0-0 LEC) | Castleton 7-7-0 (3-4-0 LEC)
 
How It Happened
It took time for both squads to settle in, as the puck changed ends multiple times in the early goings. Castleton was the first to assert itself offensively, racking up five shots on goal by the 13:13 mark, including attempts by Amanda Vaughn and Caris Erickson on a very crowded net front. The Spartans swung away, but the Norwich netminder was able to cover it up and escape the exchange unscathed.

Momentum shifted in the latter portion of the opening stanza, with the Spartans spending much of the remaining time on defense. Kara Boassaly accumulated seven saves while her defense chipped in with three blocks to send the teams into the first intermission tied at 0-0.

The second stanza brought increased offensive pressure from the visitors, but Castleton held firm, making 14 saves and eight blocks over a 16-minute stretch. After denying the Spartans a line change for an extended period, the nationally ranked Cadets caught Castleton mid-change and made light work of a 3-on-1 rush, beating Boassaly to take the game's first lead. As time wound down in the middle frame, Moa Carlsson found herself in a prime position to make an impact, but her shot was blocked wide, preserving Norwich's 1-0 lead after 40 minutes.

Despite opening the final period with a few solid shots from Castleton, the third stanza tilted heavily in favor of Norwich. The Cadets added four goals in the final period to secure a 5-0 victory.
 
By the Numbers
• Boassaly, the reigning LEC Goalie of the Week, gave it everything she had in the crease, stopping 33 of 38 shots faced.
• Senior captain Maysa Ford anchored the defense with a team-best three blocks, while the Spartans recorded 10 more as a unit.
• Despite the result on the scoreboard, Castleton dominated the faceoff circle, going 32-for-50, with Mikayla Brightman leading the way with 12 wins.
 
Up Next
Castleton will wrap up its two-game home series with No. 12 Norwich University at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 10.