NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Castleton University women's ice hockey team spoiled Norwich's return to the ice for the first time in nearly a year with a 4-3 overtime victory at Kreitzberg Arena on Saturday afternoon. 

Freshman Emily Harris collected her own rebound to score her fourth goal of the season 1:16 into a 3-on-3 overtime session to lift the Spartans to their first victory against Norwich since 2016 and just the second all time. 

Norwich (0-1) trailed on two separate occasions, but rallied to take a 3-2 lead early in the third period with a goal by sophomore forward Ingrid Holstad-Berge (Stavanger, Norway). However, Castleton found the equalizer just over three minutes later with Riley Nichols stuffing home a centering pass on the doorstep of the crease off a pretty feed from Alex Johnson. 

Freshman forward Melianne Reynolds (Sherbrooke, Quebec) notched her first collegiate goal and junior Carley Sedlar (Howell, Mich.) also scored for the Cadets. Junior Alexa Berg (West Fargo, N.D.) stopped 20 shots in goal. 

Castleton (3-1-1) jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 1:08 into the game with Brooke Greenwood scoring off an assist from Johnson. 

Norwich responded just 15 seconds later with Sedlar lofting a puck from the middle of the slot that sailed over the shoulder of Castleton freshman goalie Kirsten DiCicco for the Cadets' first goal of the season. Ally LaGue (Barre, Vt.) and Morgan Tefft (Redwood City, Calif.) picked up assists on the goal. 

Castleton took the lead again at the 11:04 mark of the second period with a power play goal from Samantha Lawler to give the Spartans a 2-1 edge. Ryanne Mix took a shot from the point that was redirected twice in front of the net with Ali Stevens getting an initial tip on the shot and then Lawler deflecting it as well before it beat Berg low. 

Norwich responded late in the second period with Reynolds scoring her first collegiate goal with a beautiful redirected tip on the backhand off a pass from Guay at the top of the slot to knot the game up at 2-2 at the 18:16 mark. Nikki LaGue picked up the secondary assist as well. 

Holstad-Berge gave Norwich its first lead of the game at the 2:18 mark of the third period with her first of the season off an assist from senior KC Herne (Akwesasne, Quebec) to give the Cadets a brief 3-2 lead. 

Herne and classmate Samantha Benoit (Bow, N.H.) were honored prior to the game on Senior Day. The two seniors were joined virtually on the ice with their family courtesy of FaceTime on iPads. 

Norwich outshot Castleton 42-24 in the game, but had a hard time solving DiCicco, who made 39 saves for her second career win in goal. 

Norwich will look to rebound on Sunday when it travels to Rutland to take on the Spartans again at 4 p.m.