SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team's late comeback wasn't enough as it fell to Salve Regina University, 3-2, on Friday night in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East action at Cairns Arena. The Purple Knights fall to 0-4 overall and 0-3 in the league while the Seahawks improve to 2-1 and 1-1.

Purple Knight senior Macey Thomas (Amherst, Mass./Northfield Mount Hermon) and sophomore Emily Loebs (Acton, Mass./Minuteman Lady Flames) each had goals while junior Fernanda Saavedra (Miami, Fla./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite) contributed with an assist. First-year goaltender Abby Burke (Bedford, Mass./Assabet Valley Patriots) stopped 26 shots.

Seahawk junior Taylor Shepherd (Quincy, Mass./Fontbonne Academy) had a goal and an assist, and sophomores Shelby Johnson (Sterling, Mass./Vermont Academy) and Kimberly Spring (Kensington, Conn./Connecticut Polar Bears) each tallied. Senior Monika Borkowski (Ann Arbor, Mich./Honeybaked), junior Sarah Markey (Ashland, Mass./Charles River) and sophomore Danielle Phalon (Stoneham, Mass./East Coast Wizards) each had an assist. First-year goalie Colleen Marcik (Madison, Conn./The Taft School) stopped 16 shots.

Johnson gave the Seahawks the lead at 6:38 of the first period, finding a loose puck in front of the net that was passed by Phalon. Thomas tied the game with a minute left in the period on a breakaway, with her first shot saved by Marcik, and then she put the rebound into the open net. Saavedra assisted the marker, which hit the back of the net at 19:00.

Spring gave the Seahawks a 2-1 lead at 8:43 of the second period, receiving a pass from Shepard on a 2-on-1 breakaway. The Purple Knights had an opportunity in a span of five seconds to tie the game around the 6:30 mark with three consecutive shots by Thomas, first-year Erin Dwyer (Weymouth, Mass./Charles River) and sophomore Caitie Shea (Smithfield, R.I./Mount Saint Charles Academy) that were all saved by Marcik. Salve Regina added to its lead with 2:32 remaining in the period on a redirected shot taken by Markey that was tipped in by Shepherd.

With an extra attacker and time winding down in regulation, Loebs pulled her team within a goal with 40 seconds remaining. However, the Purple Knights were unable to tie the game as their final shot by Thomas went wide of the net in the last 30 seconds.

The Purple Knights host the College of the Holy Cross tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Cairns Arena.