CASTLETON, VT.   10/11/12 - Junior Blake Wardwell (Bridgewater, Vt.) scored three goals, including the game-winner at the 4:26 mark of overtime to give the Castleton State field hockey team a 4-3 non-conference victory over Keene State at Spartan Stadium on Thursday.

            It was the second straight loss for the Owls (9-6).  Castleton State (10-2) extends its winning streak to four games.  It's the first the Spartans have defeated KSC in a series that began in 2007.

            Senior Alex Billert (Center Conway, N.H.) had two goals to lead the Owls.

Taking a cross from junior Rachel Preusser (Craryville, N.Y.), Wardell put the ball past a diving KSC junior goalie Caitlin Davino-Draper (Hanover, Mass.) for the go-ahead goal.

            Draper and the KSC defense kept the Owls in the game during the opening minutes of play.  Sophomore Melissa Habelow (Belmont, Mass.) deflected a shot over the net and Davino-Draper stopped a flurry of Spartan shots, including consecutive bids by senior Kealy Chipman (Bellows Falls, Vt.).

            Castleton's pressure finally paid off on a corner play goal by Wardwell at the 18:50 mark.  Keene State answered three minutes later on a goal by on Billert's first goal of the game. 

            Wardell gave the Spartans back the lead on a goal just 30 seconds into the second half.  Four minutes later, freshman Lyndsie Rabenius (North Hampton, N.H.) scored on a turnaround shot to tie the game.

            Billert gave the Owls their first lead of the game (3-2), blasting a drive into the net on a well-executed corner with 8:42 to play for her second goal of the game and her eighth of the season.

            Sophomore Maria Stern (Springfield, Vt.) knotted the score again with a shot from just inside the circle with 6:21 to go.

            Both teams had chances to score in the overtime period.  Set up in front, Rabenius couldn't get a stick on a crossing ball.

            Later in the period, junior Katlyn Simula (Bridgewater, N.H.) broke-up a two-on-one break by the Spartans and Davino-Draper stopped a shot by Preusser.

            Castleton outshot the Owls 37-19 and had a 20-15 advantage in corner opportunities.

            Davino-Draper finished the game with a career high 16 saves.  Sophomore Jessica Galatioto (Queensbury, N.Y.) stopped seven shots for the Spartans.

            Keene State returns to Little East play on Saturday (12 p.m.) with a game at Eastern Conn.