CASTLETON, Vt. – The UMaine-Farmington field hockey team (4-3) earned its first conference win of the 2014 campaign with a 5-4 victory of rival Castleton Saturday afternoon.

Both teams were presented with scoring opportunities with penalty corners in the opening minutes but were unable to convert. UMF took advantage in the 13th minute on a fast break as Mara Balboni took the ball into the shooting circle before dishing off to Carly Raymond on the near post for the goal. 

Rebecca Young gave the Beavers the extended 2-0 lead at the 21:30 mark. Emmah Spahr sent a ball into the shooting circle and amid a crowd and Rebecca Young was able to poke it past Castleton goalie Jess Galatioto.

Castleton got on the scoreboard in the 27th minute after converting on a penalty corner. After an initial shot from Leah Holland, the Spartans attacked the rebound and in a crowd Emily Hudson was able to tap it in on the far post past Beaver goalie Patty Smith.

Just two minutes later, the Spartans battled back to even the score, 2-2. Emily Hudson had the ball on the far side of the field and sent a cross into the middle, which Anna-Michelle Fabian one-timed for the equalizer. 

The Spartans took the lead three minutes into the second half after capitalizing on a penalty corner. Holland sent the ball on goal from the far side of the shooting circle and Smith made the stop, but Fabian was on the post and tapped it in for the 3-2 lead at 38:29. 

The Spartans added an insurance goal 4-2 two minutes later as Fabian was taken down while trying to make a cross to the front of the net. Castleton earned a penalty stroke and Kristy Pinkham went top corner for the goal.

UMF got back in the game as Chelsea Morley ripped a shot from seven yards out that got past Galatioto for her fourth goal of the season to make the score 3-2. The Beavers evened the score again at 47:42 after Sarita Crandall sent a cross to the middle that went past the defense and Emma Spahr knocked into the back of the cage. 

The Beavers defied physics in the 53rd minute on a penalty corner with a goal by Meghan Hughes to put UMF on top for good. Hughes took the ball on the wing and ripped a shot on net that deflected off a defender's stick and flew over the entire defense and Galatioto for the goal. 

The UMF defense held strong in the late minutes as Castleton had its chances including a penalty corner with under three minutes left, but could not convert.

Patty Smith made ten saves to secure the win for the Beavers. Jess Galatioto finished the game with seven saves but suffers the loss for Castleton.

UMaine-Farmington will travel to Rivier on Sunday for the final road non-conference game of 2014.