SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team played its second game in less than 24 hours on Tuesday morning, losing to Sacred Heart University, 4-0, in Cairns Arena. The New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) foes met for a non-league affair.
RECORDS
- Saint Michael's (1-14-1), Sacred Heart (9-12-1)
SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS
- First-year Annika Lavender (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata), 32 saves
- Senior Jenna Harrison (Kitchener, Ontario/Wellesley), 11-for-22 faceoffs
- First-year Elisabeth Gerebi (Victoria, Minn./Chanhassen), 6-for-11 faceoffs
- Senior Maeghan Kennard (Hamlin, N.Y./Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles), 5 blocks
- Senior Callie Wiley (Andover, Mass./Andover), 3 blocks
- Junior Jace Zapata (Brea, Calif./Gentry Academy), 3 blocks
- First-year Emersynn McGillis (Ottawa, Ontario/Nepean Jr. Wildcats), 3 blocks
OPPONENT LEADERS
- Sophomore Sydney Antonakis, 1 goal, 1 assist, +2
- Graduate student Delani Mackay, 2 assists, +2, 17-for-22 faceoffs
- Sophomore Carly Greene, 14 saves
GAME FACTS
- After hosting Sacred Heart during the weekend of Dec. 9-10, Saint Michael's played its third straight home game against the Pioneers.
- The Purple Knights blocked 20 shots.
THE ACTION
- Sacred Heart broke the deadlock 6:38 into the contest. After Lavender saved sophomore Nicole Bessinger's initial shot, Antonakis grabbed the rebound and fed a pass to the edge of the crease for Bessinger, who she slipped the puck under the netminder.
- Lavender made a sterling save at 11:20, extending her stick and holding the left post to rob senior Natalie Kennedy.
- The Purple Knights had a pair of tying bids denied by Greene later in the first period, when junior Emma Kelly's (Dorchester, Mass./Boston Latin School) bid from the slot hit Greene's blocker at 16:27 and sophomore Grace Canterbury (Eagle River, Alaska/Shattuck-Saint Mary's School) saw her one-timer at the left post stopped by the goalie's pad save at 18:35.
- In the final minute, Lavender turned aside first-year Olivia LaRoche's shot, but junior Paige McNeil pounced on the rebound and roofed a shot near the left post with 19:37 gone.
- Graduate student Kelly Solak added to the lead with 9:26 gone in the second frame, carrying from her own end during 4-on-4 play before beating Lavender over her shoulder from up close.
- First-year Iyla Ryskamp got behind the Saint Michael's defense and put a one-timer on net at 16:34 of the third period, but Lavender smothered the point-blank bid. Antonakis tallied just 22 seconds later, tipping home Mackay's feed from the right circle.
NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME
- Friday vs. Lake Forest (Ill.) College, 6:10 p.m.
