CASTLETON, VT -- First year
Charlotte Leyland scored with 10:36 to play in the second half to lift the Union College field hockey team to a 2-1 season-opening win at Castleton State Thursday night.
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Strong defensive play for both sides left the scoreboard blank for most of the first half. Sophomore Leah Holland recorded her first six saves of the season before
Alexa Steriti of Union found the back of the net on a feed from
Charlotte Leyland at the 29:34 mark of the first half.
Opportunities presented themselves throughout the first half for Castleton, but the Spartans could not capitalize. Stellar goaltending down the stretch kept the game 1-0 at the half but the Spartans would break through in the second. Â
Sarah Wells notched her first goal of the season and tying the game at 1-1 with just over 14 minutes remaining in the game. Haley Spittle drove down the sidelines and put a shot on goal that was initially saved. Wells retrieved the rebound in front from eight feet out and pounded it home to even the score.
The Dutchwomen would respond less than four minutes later with another goal on a scrum in front of the goal. After the initial shot went off the post, Leyland snuck a rebound past Holland to give the Dutchwomen a 2-1 lead that they would not relinquish.
Holland notched 10 saves on 12 shots in the cage.
Laura Aptowitz made six stops for Union.
The Dutchwomen open the home season Saturday vs. Fairleigh Dickinson at 1 p.m. at Frank Bailey Field.
