RUTLAND, Vt. - Sophomore Erin Dwyer (Weymouth, Mass./Charles River) scored twice, classmate Tina Frasca (Norwood, Mass./Tabor Academy) made 44 saves, and the Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team downed in-state rival Castleton State College, 3-2, on Friday evening at Spartan Arena. The Purple Knights extended their unbeaten streak to two games in improving to 3-15-1 overall and 2-9-1 in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East, while the Spartans are 9-10-1 and 4-7-1.

In addition to Dwyer's pair of tallies, first-year Sierra Hannough (Hudson, Quebec/Taft School) scored the third-period winner just nine seconds after Dwyer had snapped a tie. Junior Amanda Kempainen (Chazy, N.Y./Chazy Flyers U19) posted two assists, and Frasca recorded her third career 40-save performance, coming within three of her career high. First-year Jillian Witwicki (Danvers, Mass./Pingree School) had an assist while going 10-for-21 on face-offs, and junior Kaly Spilhaus (Bourne, Mass./Groton School) went 9-for-20 on draws.

Sophomores Sabrina Hosner (Pentincton, British Columbia/Okanogan Hockey Academy) and Ashley Pelkey (Barre, Vt./Barre) both scored for the Spartans, and junior Jess Cameron (Mount Ellick, Prince Edward Island/Brewster Academy) had 24 saves.

Frasca made 18 of her stops in the first period, including two during a late Castleton State power play. With less than a minute remaining, Kempainen blocked a shot, and the Purple Knights countered at the other end when Dwyer broke the scoreless deadlock at 19:27. Witwicki had the primary assist, while Kempainen also assisted.

Thirty seconds into a Spartan power play, Hosner knotted the contest 6:19 into the second stanza. Frasca turned away five shots during another Castleton State woman advantage later in the period, making eight of her 17 stops in the frame while her team was on the penalty kill.

Only 19 shots were attempted in the third period, the fewest in the game, but the teams combined for three goals. At 5:51, Dwyer buried her second tally, with Kempainen and sophomore Kayla Kee (Newton, Mass./Newton South) assisting. Spilhaus won the ensuing face-off, and just nine seconds after Dwyer put her team on top, Hannough found the back of the net. Sophomore Tori Hubbard (Saint Albans, Vt./BFA-Saint Albans) provided the helper. Pelkey drew the Spartans within 3-2 at 13:17, and Frasca was pressed into making two stops during a Castleton State power play before a host player was called for a penalty with 22 seconds left in her team's woman advantage, giving Saint Michael's a power play until 37 seconds remained. Frasca's stop with 2:53 left came on what proved to be the Spartans' final shot on goal.

The Purple Knights play their final road game of the year tomorrow at New England College at 1 p.m.