Box Score CASTLETON, VT – The Thomas women's soccer team (3-6, 0-2 NAC) was unable to generate any offense this afternoon and were taken down by host Castleton, 3-0.
Castleton's offense pressured the Terriers defense early on in the match, taking seven shots and forcing the Terrier goalkeeper, Paige Leary, to make four saves in the opening 11 minutes of play.
In the 14th minute, Castleton was inches away from taking its first lead of the game when Nicole Wershoven's shot rolled just wide of the post. Sarah Carlson played a through ball to Wershoven, who outran the defender and beat the keeper, but her effort was off target.
The Spartans took the lead in the 33rd minute courtesy of Valancius' first goal of the season. Wershoven delivered a cross in the box that Valancius collected and immediately finished into the upper 90 of the goal, giving Castleton a 1-0 lead.
Just five minutes later, Benson doubled the Spartans lead when she scored her first career goal. Mallory Costellopassed the ball to Benson in the middle of the box, and the freshman chipped it over Leary to extend Castleton's lead to two.
Thomas had its best opportunity of the first half in the 42nd minute when Kajsa Kaufeldt's shot forced Jessica Binkowski to make a diving save.
Castleton's offense continued its high-tempo, attacking play in the second half, and in the 61st minute, the Spartans grabbed their third goal of the match when Phillips' 15-yard strike soared into the back of the net to make it 3-0.
Kiley Baran nearly notched her second career goal in the 74th minute when the freshman delivered a shot from the top of the box on goal, but Leary's diving effort knocked the ball out of play.
Just seven minutes later, the Spartans had another great scoring opportunity after Baran's through ball found Phillips open in the box, but the Terriers keeper made another fine save to keep the lead at three.
Overall, Thomas was outshot by 33 and and failed to register a corner to Castleton's six.
Leary played abmirably in defeat recording 19 saves, but drops to 3-6 on the season. Binkowski improved her record to 5-5 overall with three saves in the victory.
The women's soccer team returns home for its next match, when they take on Regis (Mass.) on Wednesday, October 1 at 5pm.
