GORHAM, Maine  –  Sophomore Sam Anderson (Middletown, Conn.) scored his second goal of the game with just seconds remaining in the first overtime period to lift the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a season-opening 2-1 overtime win over the Castleton University Spartans in the first game of the 2017 Husky Challenge Classic. 

With the win, Southern Maine is 1-0 to start the season, while the Spartans are 0-1.  Southern Maine will face Westifeld State, a 2-1 double overtime winner over the United States Coast Guard Academy, for the championship on Saturday. 

Anderson scored his game-winner in the 100th minute, just 44 seconds before time expired in the overtime half, after freshman Joseph Kalilwa (Lewiston, Maine) won a ball in the midfield and sent a perfectly placed through ball to create a breakaway opportunity for Anderson.  With the ball sent forward, Anderson used his speed to run onto the ball getting in behind the Spartan defense.  In the box, Anderson used a good touch past the keeper and dropped the ball in to the far post.

Anderson's first goal of the game came early, when he stripped a Spartan defender and beat the keeper to the inside for a 1-0 USM lead 5:28 into the game.  USM led Castleton through the half and into the second stanza, before senior Derek Blouin (Enosburg Falls, Vt.) brought his team even with a header in the 65^th minute.  Blouin redirected a cross off of the foot of sophomore Jack Kingdon (Woodbury, Conn./Nonnewuag) for the equalizer.  The rest of the game battered the ball back and forth before heading into overtime where Anderson sank Castleton.

Castleton outshot USM 18-9, and had a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks in the loss.  Southern Maine goalkeeper freshman Richard Glemawu (Accra, Ghana/South Kent (Conn.)) earned his first collegiate win making seven saves.  Spartan senior Aaron Parker (White River Junction, Vt.) made a pair of saves in the loss.

USM faces Westfield (1:00 p.m.) on Saturday, and Castleton will play Coast Guard (3:30 p.m.).   

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