CASTLETON, Vt. – Freshmen Nia Caprio and Lauren McCarthy each netted their first collegiate goals to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) field hockey team to a 2-0 victory over Castleton University, on Tuesday afternoon at Dave Wolk Stadium. With the win, the Engineers improve to 1-3 overall, while the Spartans drop to 2-3.

RPI nearly scored in the opening minute of the game, but senior Jessie House (Saratoga Springs, NY / Saratoga Springs) was denied by the right pad of Castleton goalkeeper Hannah Frittenburg (Intervale, NH / Kennett). Freshman Abby Peterson (Glastonbury, CT / Glastonbury) followed up with a shot that went just wide left of the cage.

The Engineers continued to press and eventually broke through at 6:17 of the first quarter. Junior Mikayla Berman (High Bridge, NJ / Voorhees) sent a corner to the top of the circle for classmate Brianna Duba (Harwinton, CT / The Ethel Walker School), who saw her shot stopped. Caprio (Gilbertsville, PA / Boyertown Area) jumped on the rebound and stuck it home from close range, to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

McCarthy (Morristown, NJ / Morristown) doubled the RPI lead at 27:34, firing a low shot past Frittenburg. The goal came following another corner from Berman.

Rensselaer went on to outshoot the Spartans 15-2 in the opening half, earning seven corners in the process. Castleton did have a chance midway through the second, but the RPI defense stood its ground and did not allow a shot on goal.

The Engineers continued to control play in the second half, collecting seven shots and not allowing an attempt from the homestanding Spartans. RPI also finished with an 11-2 edge in penalty corners.

RPI's victory was the first under head coach Bre Lowe, who took over the program in March of 2020. The team returns to action on Saturday, when it travels to Stevens (4pm). Castleton visits UMass Dartmouth on Saturday (11am).