Women's Ice Hockey

January 2, 2010

Purple Knights Women, Chatham Earn Victories At Holiday Classic

Game #1 Box Score: http://collegehockeystats.net/boxes/wchtply1.j02

Game #2 Box Score: http://collegehockeystats.net/boxes/wclbstm1.j02

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - Saint Michael's College (2-9, 1-9 ECAC East) and Chatham University (1-8-1, 0-7-1 ECAC West) both earned victories in their first games of the Saint Michael's College Holiday Classic. The Cougars shut-out the Plymouth State Panthers (0-9-0, 0-8-0 ECAC East) by a commanding 8-0 score, while the Purple Knights earned a rewarding 5-3 win against the Colby College Mules (2-4-3, 0-3-2 NESCAC).

In game one of the holiday classic, the Chatham Cougars took an early lead seven minutes into the period, as sophomore Lauren Campbell (Erie, Pa.) netted a power play goal with assists from freshman Jessica Rattle (Grimsby, Ont.) and sophomore Leah McNaughton (Embro, Ont.). Chatham continued to dominate the period, as they made it a two goal game five minutes later. Sophomore Dawson Bancroft-Short (Prairie du Sac, Wis.) received help from McNaughton to net her second goal of the season. As the shots in the first period reached a lopsided 18-1, Chatham scored their third goal with under a minute left, as sophomore Sydney Williams (Phoenix, Ariz.) made an unassisted drive to net.

The goals continued to come for Chatham, as McNaughton tallied two more in the second period, the first unassisted and the second with the helper coming from junior Alexis Smith (Burlington, Ont.). Netting the sixth goal of the game was sophomore Breanne Mercanti (Hamilton, Ont.), assisted by junior Paige Dunlap (Greenwood, Ind.). With just over 30 seconds remaining in the second frame, McNaughton netted hat-trick goal, with help from Campbell.

Tired legs took the ice in the third period, as Chatham netted one more goal to make the final score 8-0. Bancroft-Short combined with Williams to assist Campbell with her second goal of the game. Plymouth's defense held strong, as the Panthers were able to find nine scoring opportunities. In goal for the Cougar's, freshman Allie Frank (Glendale, Ariz.) recorded a total of 17 saves, while Panthers' sophomore Nicole Provencher (Guilford, Conn.) set aside 37.

In game two of the night, the Purple Knights returned in 2010 to face the Colby College Mules on Cairns Arena's Upper Rink (rink #1), where they upset Colby, 5-3. Midway into the opening frame, Colby put themselves on the board as freshman Caroline Chessare (Hopkinton, Mass.) netted her first collegiate goal, with assist help coming from classmate Tasha Rivard (Newbury, Mass.) and junior Liz Osgood (North Andover, Mass.).

Saint Michael's came right back in the second period to even the score. Senior Desiree Biron (Bow, N.H./The Gunnery School/University of Vermont) notched her eighth goal of the season just 28 seconds into the frame. Junior Emily Paquin (Bowie, Md./Washington Pride) and sophomore Meg Guarante (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley) were credited with the assist. The game continued to play out evenly, until the Mules found the back of the net again midway through the frame. Once again, the Purple Knights refused to be a goal down. Less than two minutes later, freshman Allison Graf (Long Lake, Minn./Minnesota Thoroughbreds) and Biron combined to assist senior Crystal Sarno (Stoneham, Mass./Canterbury School) for the tying goal.

Opening the third frame with a goal less than a minute into play was sophomore Kiera Nelligan (Melrose, Mass./Arlington Catholic) who netted a backhanded shot on a pass from junior Kelly Rose Losi (Milton, Mass./Milton) to take the first Purple Knights lead of the game. Colby was able to tie the game in the 15th minute of the frame, as sophomore Marissa Simmons (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) was assisted by freshman Kathryn Shei (Iverness, Ill.) for the Mules third goal of the game. Seconds later, the Purple Knights once again retaliated to take back the lead. Sarno netted her second puck of the game on a pass from Graf for the winning goal. With two seconds remaining on the clock, Sarno passed to Biron who notched the reassurance goal, ending the game with a final score of 5-3.

In goal for the Mules, junior Loni Pisani (Kanata, Ont.) set aside 31 shots, while Purple Knights junior Alysia Goldman (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Hebron Academy) stopped 40 shots for the Saint Michael's win.

The tournament concludes on Sunday, as Chatham faces off against Colby at 12:50 p.m., followed by Saint Michael's versus Plymouth State at 3:50 p.m.

GAME #1 SUMMARY

Chatham 3 4 1 --8

Plymouth State 0 0 0 --0

First period: Scoring: 1. CHT, Campbell (Rattle, McNaughton), 6:38; 2. CHT, Bancroft-Short (McNaughton), 11:43; 3. CHT, Williams, 19:02.

Second period: Scoring: 4. CHT, McNaughton, 2:56; 5. CHT, McNaughton (Smith), 9:43; 6. CHT, Mercanti (Dunlap), 10:58; 7. CHT, McNaughton (Campbell), 19:21.

Third period: Scoring: 8. CHT, Campbell (Bancroft-Short, Williams), 7:27.

Shots: CHT (18 - 13 - 14 - 45), PLY (1 - 7 - 9 - 17).

Saves: CHT, Frank (17 shots, 17 saves); PLY, Provencher (45 shots, 37 saves).

GAME #2 SUMMARY

Colby 1 1 1 --3

Saint Michael's 0 2 3 --5

First period: Scoring: 1. COL, Chessare (Rivard, Osgood), 9:25.

Second period: Scoring: 1. SMC, Biron (Paquin, Guarante), 0:28; 2. COL, Scarpato, 8:25; 2. SMC, Sarno (Biron, Graf), 10:22.

Third period: Scoring: 3. SMC, Nelligan (Losi), 0:45; COL, x, 15:09; 3. COL, Simmons (Shei), 15:09; 4. SMC, Sarno (Graf), 15:38; 5. SMC, Biron (Sarno), 19:58.

Shots: COL (15 - 10 - 18 - 43), SMC (11 - 12 - 14 - 37).

Saves: COL, Pisani (36 shots, 31 saves); SMC, Goldman (43 shots, 40 saves).

##PURPLEKNIGHTS###

Saint Michael's College

Athletics

Women's Ice Hockey

January 2, 2010

Purple Knights Women, Chatham Earn Victories At Holiday Classic