Ponte makes 30 saves for Panthers

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior Nicole Ruman recorded a goal and an assist and classmate Katharyn Dembowski made 20 saves Friday evening as Castleton State College skated past Plymouth State University, 4-0, in an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's East hockey game at Hanaway Rink.

            Ruman scored the only goal the Spartans would need on a power play six minutes into the first period, and then assisted on a third-period insurance marker.  The Spartans went on to the victory, improving to 2-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play, while PSU drops to 0-2-1 both overall and in the ECAC Women's East.

            After Ruman had given the Spartans a 1-0 lead with her first goal of the season, sophomore Stephanie Bardell tallied her first goal as well, at 12:02, and Castleton owned a 2-0 margin after one period.

            A series of events early in the second period changed the momentum.  PSU had a short-handed breakaway in the first two minutes of the frame, but Dembowski made the save and moments later, junior Hanna Martini scored for Castleton to make it a 3-0 game.

            Freshman Molly Howard rounded out the scoring for Castleton with her first career goal 1:38 into the third period.

            Castleton finished with a 34-20 advantage in shots on goal.  Sophomore goaltender Ali Ponte made 30 saves in the Panther goal.

            PSU is back on the Hanaway Rink ice Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. conference game against New England College, while Castleton moves on to the University of Southern Maine for a 1:00 p.m. face-off.

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