SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team allowed two goals in the closing 4:34 in a 4-3 loss to the College of the Holy Cross in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East play at Cairns Arena on Saturday. The Purple Knights slide to 1-5 overall and 1-4 in the league, while the Crusaders improve to 6-1 and 4-1. Saturday marked the third straight one-goal decision between the two teams, with Holy Cross now victorious in all three contests.

Junior Amanda Kempainen (Chazy, N.Y./Chazy Flyers U19) scored a goal and assisted on another, with sophomore Erin Dwyer (Weymouth, Mass./Charles River) and first-year Amanda Donahoe (Wakefield, Mass./Saint Mary's) also scoring for Saint Michael's. Senior Fernanda Saavedra (Miami, Fla./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite),  junior Emily Loebs (Acton, Mass./Minuteman Lady Flames) and sophomore Athena Akiki (Allendale, N.J./New Jersey Rockets) each earned an assist. Sophomore goalie Tina Frasca (Norwood, Mass./Tabor Academy) collected 39 saves in the loss.

First-year Kara Violette (Biddeford, Maine/Saint Mark's) registered two goals and seniors Nicole Giannino (Bay Shore, N.Y./National Sports Academy) and Mary Klimasewski (Colchester, Conn./Saint George's School) also scored. Senior Francesca Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass./Middlesex) logged two assists with junior Taylor McGee (Pearl River, N.Y./Taft) and sophomore Izzy Bagi (Branford, Conn./The Gunnery) both recording a helper. Senior Krista Manzanares (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Tabor Academy) turned aside 13 shots.

Saint Michael's started the first period with four shots on net in the opening 6:10, with the best opportunity coming on Dwyer's breakaway that was turned away by Manzanares' blocker. The Crusaders responded with 11 shots during the remainder of the opening stanza, including a pair of blue line shots that were stopped by Frasca. With 1:01 left in the period, Panarelli fired a shot that was redirected by junior Mackenzie Boardman (Anchorage, Alaska/Brewster Academy) in the slot, but gobbled up by Frasca. Holy Cross held a 15-6 shot advantage in the opening scoreless period.

Just 50 seconds into the second stanza, Boardman rang a shot off the right period. The hosts then jumped on the scoreboard after Dwyer's attempted pass from the left circle to Saavedra deflected off a Holy Cross defender and through the legs of Manzanares at 4:01. The Crusaders evened up the game at 17:03 when Giannino flicked the puck short side and under the right arm of Frasca, who was hugging the left post. Crusader first-year Lauren Abbenante's (Cranston, R.I./Worcester Academy) wrist shot clanged off the crossbar with 2:10 left. The visitors surged ahead  with 1:31 remaining when Klimasewiski skated across the slot and fired a shot 5-hole on Frasca.

The third period saw the lead exchange hands twice as both teams combined for four goals on 24 shots. The hosts drew even on the scoreboard while on the power play when Donahoe picked the top shelf from the left circle at 6:33 for her first career goal. Exactly five minutes later, Kempainen gave Saint Michael's its second lead of the day when she took a one-time pass from Saavedra, who was below the goal line, and let loose a shot that beat Manzanares glove side. After Saint Michael's was assessed a penalty, Holy Cross converted on the player advantage after Violette scored at 15:26. The Crusader pulled back ahead with only 26 seconds to go in the period after Violette scooted across the top of the circles and laced a shot that beat Frasca to the blocker side. After pulling Frasca with 18 seconds remaining, Saint Michael's was unable to get off any shots before time expired.

The Purple Knights play again Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. when they head to play the State University of New York at Canton in a non-conference contest.