SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team opened a two-game New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) weekend series against Sacred Heart University on Friday night at Cairns Arena with a 10-0 loss.

RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (0-8, 0-7 NEWHA), Sacred Heart (6-5-1, 4-2-1 NEWHA)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Sophomore Evelyn Andrade (San Ramon, Calif./Meijer AAA), 4 blocks
• Sophomore Jenna Hoops (Woodbury, Minn./Saint Paul United), 10-for-19 faceoffs, 2 blocks
• Sophomore Leah White (Hingham, Mass./The Winchendon School), 9 saves in 15:28
• Senior Gabriella Dicomitis (Warwick, R.I./Williston Northampton School), 18 saves in 44:32 of relief

OPPONENT LEADERS

• Senior Anna Klein, 3 goals, +3
• Sophomore Paige McNeil, 3 goals, +3
• First-year Nicole Bessinger, 2 goals, 1 assist, +3, 7-for-12 faceoffs
• Senor Kelly Solak, 2 assists, +7
• Senior Frankie Sanchez, 25 saves

GAME FACTS

• Saint Michael's played its first regular-season home game since Feb. 15, 2020, competing in its latest home opener since the 2007-08 season (Nov. 30).
• Both teams blocked 11 shots, while the Pioneers held a 37-25 lead in shots.

THE ACTION

• White denied first-year Katie Keenan's point-blank try two minutes into a scoreless game before the visitors scored three times in a 1:46 stretch. McNeil put home a rebound at 2:06 of the first period, Bessinger finished a 2-on-0 breakaway with 3:12 gone, and junior Cassandra Nevers potted a backhander out front 40 seconds later.
• McNeil went top shelf from the mid-slot at 8:39.
• The Purple Knights had a pair of bids turned away by Sanchez during an ensuing power play, as sophomore Mikaela Langbacka (Lorton, Va./Washington Pride) took a shot from in close at 11:20 before first-year Angelina Ruiz (Independence, Minn./Gentry Academy) fired a blast from the point at 11:37.
• White denied McNeil on a breakaway at 13:21 before Klein netted the first goal in her natural hat trick at 15:28, taking a giveaway at the blue line and going in alone.
• Ruiz's power-play shot from the middle of the right circle at 2:30 of the second period was smothered by Sanchez, and junior Sophia Burns (Syracuse, N.Y./Syracuse Nationals) was stopped out front at 3:20 before sending a second bid wide.
• Klein scored out front at 7:38 before netting a shorthanded goal with 13:11 elapsed following a breakaway through the left circle. In between, Ruiz's shot from the slot was stopped at 8:25 by Sanchez's left toe.
• Bessinger, McNeil and junior Charlotte Huntington added goals over the final 23:37 of the game.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME

• Saturday vs. Sacred Heart, 4 p.m.
• The Purple Knights will be supporting the College's Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts (MOVE) Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week food drive that day, accepting donations of non-perishable food items that will be donated to local food shelves.