RUTLAND, Vt.—The William Smith College ice hockey team was edged by Castleton 3-2 in a New England Hockey Conference contest at Spartan Arena this evening. Julia Carpenter scored the game-winning goal with 15:10 remaining in the third period for the Spartans.
 
Julianna Gong and Mia LaPlante scored for William Smith (6-14-1, 4-8-1). Amanda Aalto started in goal and made 17 saves in just over 58 minutes of action.
 
Emery Bonner had a game-high two assists in the win. Kristen DiCicco started in goal for Castleton (10-8-2, 7-5-1) and made 23 saves.
 
Emily Harris opened the scoring at the 11:31 mark of the first period. She intercepted a clearing pass, deked around two defenders and slipped a backhanded shot past Aalto for her fifth goal of the season. Three minutes later, William Smith tied the game with a shorthanded goal. Gong broke up a play at the defensive blue line, raced the length of the ice and slipped a shot past the goalie for her third goal of the season. It was the Herons' first shorthanded tally of the season.
 
Neither team found the back of the net in a defensive second period. Aalto stopped all five shots she faced and DiCicco made seven saves of her own.
 
Castleton regained a one-goal lead 58 seconds into the third period. Katie Nealon stuffed home a wraparound attempt for her third goal of the season. Emery Bonner was credited with an assist on the goal. William Smith tied the game again at the 12:36 mark of the third period. LaPlante wristed a shot from the left faceoff circle past DiCicco for her team-leading sixth goal of the season. Three minutes later, Carpenter won the game for Castleton off of a rebound in front of the cage. Bonner was credited with an assist on the game-winning goal.
 
William Smith was awarded a power play late in the game but could not squeeze the equalizer past DiCicco. Emily Martino had the best chance turned aside by a blocker save from the Spartan goalie.
 
The Herons finished the game with a 25-20 edge in shots on goal. Neither team scored on the power play. Castleton was 0-for-5 with the extra attacker and William Smith was 0-for-3 on the power play.
 
The Herons will play their final road game of the regular season tomorrow, Feb. 5, when they take on Plymouth St. Faceoff in New Hampshire is scheduled for 3 p.m.