CASTLETON, Vt. – Castleton State College scored seven unanswered goals to advance to the North Atlantic Conference Field Hockey Tournament championship game with a 7-1 victory over the University of Maine at Farmington, in a tournament semifinal Wednesday afternoon at Spartan Stadium.

UMaine-Farmington closes the season with an 8-8 record, while Castleton improves to 16-4 and will be making its first NAC title game appearance since 2008.

UMaine-Farmington scored 40 seconds into the game, but it was all Spartans after that. The Beavers notched the game's opening goal on a play that began with Lily Barry (Hermon, Maine/Hermon) possessing the ball on the far side of the net. She dished a pass over to Annie Agnew (Guilford, Maine/Piscataquis Community) on the near corner, who took the pass and fired a shot into the cage before Castleton goalie Jessica Galatioto could react.

Castleton responded with the equalizer just 4:18 later. Brynn Cayia fired a lead pass through the defense on the near side of the field to a streaking Rachel Preusser. Preusser took one touch before slipping it between the legs of UMF goalie Curran Brierley (East Hampton, N.Y./East Hampton) and into the net.

Both teams had their opportunities, but it was the Spartans who broke the tie at the 26:19 mark. Kristy Pinkham  ripped apass from 40 yards out right to Preusser waiting on the near post, and she touched it home for her 22nd goal of the season.

In the second half, Castleton added to its lead in the 43rd minute. Mercedes Maltbie collected the ball off a penalty corner at the top of the circle and dished it to Pinkham. She fired a rocket that made it through the defense for the 3-1 lead.

The Spartans pushed their lead to 4-1 at the 46:27 mark when Kealy Chipman scored off a rebound. She made it 5-1 2:21 later off a nice pass from Preusser.

Preusser added her third goal with just over 16 minutes remaining and Maltbie concluded the scoring at the 56:19 mark.

Galatioto made fives saves in net to earn her 16th win of the season. Brierley finished with seven saves while allowing the first six goals, before giving way to Felisha Taylor, who allowed the final score.

Chipman's two goals on the day give her 25 for the season, breaking the previous single-season program-record of 23, set it 2008 by Carolyn Griggs. Preusser's seven points give her 57 points, the program's second-highest single-season total. She only trails Chipman, who has 63 points so far this season.

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