Sacred Heart
Syracuse
Pioneers Fall to Orange, 5-1
2/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
Feb. 14, 2009
Bridgeport, CT- The Sacred Heart women's hockey team suffered a season series sweep at the hands of Syracuse with a 5-1 defeat Saturday afternoon. Freshman goaltender Amanda Nagel (Greenwood, NN) made 48 saves in a spectacular performance but the Orange pressure proved to be too much for SHU. Lauren Fontaine (Windsor, ON) tallied her 17th goal of the season in the loss.
Sacred Heart (12-15-2) was pinned in their defensive end much of the first period but held strong and only allowed one goal. Syracuse (7-15-3) posted the frames only tally on a Katelyn Bero marker 12 minutes into the game. The Pioneers best scoring opportunity came on a short-handed break away from Gina Arnone (Bridgewater, NJ). Arnone did not get a shot off after being checked from behind but drew an Orange penalty to end the power play.
The Orange dominated throughout the second period outshooting the Pioneers an impressive 27-6. Nagel made numerous saves to keep the Pioneers close and turned away seven Syracuse shots during a 50 second 5-3 penalty kill. Sacred Heart looked as though it would escape the constant and heavy pressure of the period without allowing a goal. But at the 3:11 mark Syracuse improved its lead to 2-0 as Janelle Malcolm fired a shot on goal, gathered her own rebound, and put it in for her eight goal of the year.
Sacred Heart was unable to stop the momentum of the Orange and managed just two shots on goal in the third period. One minute into the period Nagel made a fantastic kick save to deny Julie Rising who found herself alone on a break away. Megan Skelley's power play marker put the Pioneers down 3-0 with 13:30 to play. Sacred Heart had a chance to strike back quickly after Malcolm was given a double minor for her hit on Brittany Hartman (Prior Lake, MN). But the Pioneers could not put a shot on goal in their four minute power play opportunity. Shortly after Syracuse killed the double minor they extended their lead to four on a Stefanie Marty tally.
The Pioneers refused to be shut out and capitalized on a delayed penalty, extra skater opportunity as Fontaine found the net with assists coming from Kristina Feltz (Edison, NJ) and Whitney Dziama (Walpole, MA). The Orange added their final goal with just eight seconds to play as they also converted on a delayed penalty situation.
The Pioneers end their regular season as they welcome the University of Rhode Island to the Wonderland of Ice next Saturday, February 21. Senior Day festivities will be held before the game, which is scheduled for 2:00 pm.
