SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team picked up its first win ever against New England College on Saturday, claiming a 4-3 win on Senior Day in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East action at Cairns Arena. The Purple Knights, who had met the Pilgrims 23 times prior to the contest, improve to 3-18-3 overall and 2-12-2 in the league while closing out their regular season. The Pilgrims slide to 3-22 and 3-13.

Saint Michael's senior Mary Liz Pinnella (Manasquan, N.J./New Jersey Lady Patriots) scored two goals, and classmate Macey Thomas (Amherst, Mass./Northfield Mount Hermon) and first-year Lauren Cuculino (Glen Mills, Pa./Quakers) netted the other markers. Sophomore Emily Loebs (Acton, Mass./Minuteman Lady Flames) collected three assists, while first-year Erin Dwyer (Weymouth, Mass./Charles River) registered another helper. Senior goalie Meaghan Leong (Cohasset, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) made 26 saves for her first career victory.

Seniors Kristin Dehm (Milford, Conn./Connecticut Polar Bears) and Alexis Fitzpatrick (Somerville, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin) and first-year Alexis Severance (Seekonk, Mass./Edgewood Lady Hawks) provided the New England College goals. Junior goalie Lauren Hopps (Green Bay, Wis./Madison Capitals) stopped 23 shots.

The Purple Knights looked to strike 4:10 into the opening period when Dwyer's breakaway attempt was squashed by a Pilgrim defender who poke-checked the puck before Dwyer could get off a shot. New England College tallied the game's first goal at 9:33 when Severance beat Leong low blocker side after weaving past a Saint Michael's defender. The Purple and Gold replied with the tying goal thanks to Pinnella, whose pass to the front of the  net bounced off a Pilgrim skater and through Hopps' 5-hole at 17:59.

New England College pulled ahead in the second period after first-year Mackenzie Meegan's (Phoenix, Ariz./Dallas Stars Elite) shot bounced off Leong's left pad and Dehm was there to bury the rebound. Saint Michael's replied when Dwyer fed a pass to Pinnella, who laced a shot just under the crossbar with 1:37 left in the stanza to even the score.

Saint Michael's broke the tie after Cuculino fired a low point shot that snuck through the legs of Hopps 6:42 into the final period. The Purple Knights added another score when Thomas stuffed home the loose puck while camped in front of the net during a scramble on a power play at 9:11. New England College pulled to within one thanks to Fitzpatrick, whose shot from inside the face-off circle bounced off a Saint Michael's defender's stick and into the net under Leong's right pad at 13:49. The Pilgrims pulled Hopps with 1:01 but failed to register a shot.

Six Saint Michael's seniors were honored before the game during a Senior Day ceremony: Leong, Pinnella, Thomas, Courtney Burnett (Deep River, Ontario/Northwood School), Olivia Collins (South Boston, Mass./Boston Latin School) and Tracy Stevenson (Wayne, Maine/Kents Hill School).

The Purple Knights head into next weekend's ECAC Open Tournament at the College of the Holy Cross, as they will take on an opponent yet to be determined on Saturday at a time to be determined.