The Castleton women’s soccer team capped off a perfect week with a 3-0 victory
over Maine-Farmington, a North Atlantic Conference foe, on Sept. 26.Despite the victory, Castleton did not look as sharp as it had in the past few games, perhaps due to the match the day before against Thomas College.

The team looked less energetic,and as a result, it dealt with some sloppy passes and lack of focus at points.

“I don’t think it was our best game by any means,” coach Chris Chapdelaine said. “But we plugged away and kept competing.”

Castleton, though, got on the board in the 31st minute with Sarah Ethier’s second goal of the season. Ethier picked up a loose ball around the top of the box and delivered a low shot into the corner of the net.

Castleton doubled its lead seven minutes later as Megan Blongy made a run at McKell Barnes, the Beavers’ keeper,and sent a rocket off of a one touch past the keeper.

With 16:41 left in the second half, Hilary Cooke recorded her team-leading eighth goal of the season when she took a beautiful cross from Courtney Chadburn and drove a one-touch shot past the full-extension dive from Barnes.

“Hilary brings a whole new attack dynamic to this team,” Chapdelaine said. ” She and Blongy really take the load of scoring off of Courtney’s shoulders, and that is really great for our team.”

With a three-goal lead in the second half, Castleton had nothing to worry about as the defense has been the strongest aspect of the team this season.

The Spartan defense, lead by keeper Ericka Davis, has only allowed eight goals in eight games this season.

“Defense really takes time but [our defense] has really been competing against good teams this season,” Chapdelaine said. They’ve been hanging in there.

The game against Farmington was no different as every time the Beavers entered
Spartan territory, a wall of green and white met them. The Kelly duo on team was especially good in the game.

“Kelly Tetreault and Kelly Gerken were real big for us today defensively,” Chapdelaine
said. [Gerken] stepped back and made some big plays.”

Davis, a sophomore, made five saves in goal against the Beavers, and she has done nothing but give Chapdelaine confidence in her this season.

“[I’m] confident in her without a doubt,” he said. “She’s got some big things coming ahead of her.”

With the win over the beavers, the Spartans move to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in NAC play. The team will next travel to take on Cobleskill at 4 p.m. on Sept. 29.