SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team fell to Saint Anselm College, 3-0, during Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East action at Cairns Arena on Friday. The Purple Knights, who had their three-game unbeaten streak snapped, see their record move to 4-16-1 overall and 3-10-1 in the league, while the Hawks improve to 15-4-2 and 11-1-2.

Sophomore Tina Frasca (Norwood, Mass./Tabor Academy) made 36 saves and earned her 20th career 30-save performance for Saint Michael's. Senior Sabrina Iannetti (Lynn, Mass./Saint Mary's) and sophomores Alison Quinn (Canton, Mass./Southfield) and Alex Starzyk (Enfield, Conn./Williston Northampton) each scored for Saint Anselm. Senior Lindsey Brown (Mounds View, Minn./Ohio State) turned aside 10 shots for her fifth shutout of the season.

In a first period that saw the Hawks hold a 12-1 shot advantage, Frasca was tested early and often for the hosts. Senior Franny Nicholson (Saint Paul, Minn./Cretin-Durham Hall) let loose a blue line shot that was redirected low in the slot by sophomore Alison Butler (Danvers, Mass./Saint Mary's) and stopped by Frasca's left toe at 9:50. Frasca was challenged again just 2:05 later when Starzyk snapped a point-blank shot from just above the top of the crease after receiving a goal line pass from junior Alex Kazmer (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central). The Purple and Gold finally got its first and best scoring chance of the period with 1:30 left when sophomore Erin Dwyer (Weymouth, Mass./Charles River) attempted to stuff in the puck from the left side, but Brown's right pad stifled the bid.

The second stanza favored Saint Anselm, as the Hawks managed to net three goals in a 2:39 span. The scoring spurt started when sophomore Victoria Shea (Middleton, Mass./Saint Mark's School) fed a pass to Iannetti, who then skated up the ice on a breakaway and deked twice before burying the puck to the right side of the net at 7:42. After going on the power play for the first time of the game, the visitors saw their lead increase when Quinn redirected a shot from sophomore Meaghan Spurling (Byfield, Mass./Brewster Academy) at 9:04. The Hawks kept up the offensive pressure and were rewarded with their third goal just 1:16 later when Starzyk redirected a point shot from junior Halle Kent (Lake Placid, N.Y./Northwood School). Saint Michael's then gave its offensive push while on the power play at 13:20, peppering Brown with a trio of shots, including two from the top of the crease. The tide shifted back in Saint Anselm's favor as the Hawks ended the period with three shots on net, all preceded, though, when Starzyk rang a shot off the crossbar.

Saint Anselm enjoyed an 11-2 shot advantage in the third period, but could not find the back of the net in the closing 20 minutes. After Frasca stopped a pair of shots in the opening 2:35, Butler looked to tally a marker, but her backhanded shot at 2:45 clanged off the top left corner of the net. The Purple Knights then killed off a penalty, despite the Hawks pumping four shots on net. Senior Shannon Rice (West River, Md./Navy U19) provided Saint Michael's with one final scoring bid at 13:50, but her backhanded shot was turned away by Brown's blocker. Saint Anselm finished the game with two more shots on net.

Saint Michael's continues play on Wednesday at 7:45 p.m. in an ECAC East contest against Nichols College. The game, which was originally scheduled for tomorrow, has been postponed and will be played on Rink 2 at Cairns Arena.