The Castleton men’s soccer team have performed exceptionally well in the final games of their season. To round out the 2024 season they played in 3 games, ending with two ties and one win that put them in the playoffs. 

The Spartans were sent to Westfield State for a non-conference game on October 22. Less than a minute into the game, Westfield scored to put themselves ahead of the Spartans. Catching the Spartans by surprise and falling behind early on. In the first half, Westfield dominated the game and outshot the Spartans 10–2. The Owls were only ahead by one for the whole of the game, but Xander Berthiaume remained composed in the net. 

When a player on Westfield was called for a hard foul in the box with 1:48 remaining, the Spartans finally took advantage of a chance. Toby Ritzkowski stepped up without any issues. He delivered it to the left side of the goal to tie the game, which resulted in the final score being 1-1. 

Castleton headed on another trip but this time to see an LEC matchup, UMass Boston. At the start of this game the Beacons outshot the Spartans 18-3 on net, but freshman Xander Berthiaume, stole the show with a career high 17 saves. It also helped having a strong defensive line from Liam Cramer, Holden Crouthamel, Wyatt Robbie, and Jacob Bart, who effectively kept the Beacons in check throughout the match.

Jacob Barth had some comments about the strong defensive performance stating, “I would say it wasn’t just the backline but a whole team effort. A lot of concentration and communication really got us through that game and earned us a draw.” 

The two teams traded chances, but Boston primarily pushed the action toward Castleton’s defensive half. As the match neared its end, the Beacons pushed for a late goal. Boston fired a shot that Berthiaume saved but could not control. Then they tried again for a follow-up attempt, but Berthiaume, composed and alert, made his 17th save, preserving the scoreless tie. The match ultimately ended in a draw.

The Spartans celebrated senior day with a 2-0 victory over Southern Maine on Friday evening. Though the Spartans faced defensive pressure early in the match, senior Adolphe Alfani managed a breakaway, going one-on-one with the Huskies’ goalkeeper. Alfani was fouled by USM, leading to a penalty kick. During the penalty setup, the USM bench received a yellow card due to an unruly coach. 

Senior Toby Ritzkowski stepped up to take the penalty, successfully putting VTSU ahead 1-0 with 19:14 remaining in the game. The second half featured both teams exchanging shots and fouls. VTSU added an insurance goal when Matt Spiller evaded a defender and found the net, extending the lead to 2-0 at 12:57. “I think we communicated and defended as a team and honestly this game we felt really connected as a whole,” Spiller said. 

Southern Maine’s best scoring chance came in the closing moments when they sent a long free kick toward the goal, which was comfortably saved by Xander Berthiaume. The match was notably physical, resulting in six yellow cards, four for the Huskies and two for the Spartans. 

Offensively, Castleton dominated, outshooting USM 8-4 in shots on goal. Berthiaume, who was named the LEC Rookie and Goalie of the Week, recorded four saves in his sixth shutout of the season.

The Spartans were locked into a playoff spot after their victory over USM, and they will play at Rhode Island College, this upcoming Tuesday.