GORHAM, Maine –  Haley Lassen scored in the 57^th minute to propel the third-seed Castleton University Spartans to a 2-1 win over the top-seed University of Southern Maine Huskies in the championship game of the 2022 Little East Conference tournament. 
 
With the win, Castleton earns the Little East Conference's automatic qualification to the 2022 NCAA Division III National Championship tournament.  The tournament field will be announced Sunday night at 10:30 pm.  The title is the first for the Spartans since joining the Little East Conference. 
 
Southern Maine, the 2022 Little East Conference regular season champions, were playing for the conference title for the fifth time in program history and the first time since the 2016 season. 
 
The Records:
No. 3 Castleton University (14-7)
No. 1 Southern Maine (15-8)
 
How It Happened:

• Castleton struck first as Emily Harris, the LEC's leading goal scorer, scored her 34^th goal of the season in the 12^th minute. 
• Harris' goal stood through the half.  Both teams were even through the first 30 minutes of play with USM holding a slim 6-5 lead in shots. Both teams had four penalty corners in the half, and Harris' goal was the only separation point.
• Southern Maine found its equalizer late in the third quarter.  Huskies' sophomore Adelle Surette (Sabattus, Maine/Oak Hill) scored her fifth goal of the season and second goal of the 2022 postseason on a fantastic solo effort, creating space with a solid cut back in the circle.
• Both teams battled to find the game-winner before regulation expired in the fourth. USM outshot Castleton 6-2 in the fourth, and had a 6-2 lead in penalty corners, but the Spartans were able to get the go-head goal on its second corner of the quarter.  After a big save from USM goalkeeper Julianna Kiklis (York, Maine), Lassen was able to take a loose ball out of the air and bring it down into the near post for the winner.  

 
The Goalkeepers:
CU, Zoe Martin (12-5), 60:00, 1 GA, 11 Saves
SM, Julianna Kiklis (8-4), 60:00, 2 GA, 4 Saves
 
Inside The Game:

• Castleton's Amelia Wilson was named the 2022 LEC Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

Up Next:
Southern Maine, the 2022 LEC Regular Season Champion, concludes its outstanding season with a record of 15-8.  The Huskies earned their first-ever LEC regular season title in 2022 and set a team scoring record 77 goals during the season's 23 games.
 
 
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