(Bridgeport, CT) – Despite outshooting the St. Michael's Purple Knights 41-26, the Sacred Heart Pioneer women's hockey team lost 4-2 Saturday afternoon at the Wonderland of Ice.  The two teams split the two-game weekend series after Sacred Heart's overtime win Friday night.

St. Michael's opened the scoring at 3:12 of the first period when Casey Yelton converted a back-hander after forcing a turnover.  Sacred Heart tied it on the power play when Megan Murphy (Holden, MA) poked in a rebound off a wrist-shot from the point from Caitlin Gottwald (Reading, MA) at 11:36 of the first.

The Purple Knights and the Pioneers traded goals in the second period as well, starting with St. Michael's Kelly McDonald coming out of the corner to lift a back-hander under the cross bar for an unassisted goal at 5:03.  However, Sacred Heart eliminated that lead as well when Jaime Mey (Middletown, RI) scored off a centering pass from Lauren Fontaine (Windsor, ON) at 10:45.

In the final period, though, Madelena Santore finished off a dazzling goal, redirecting a goal-mouth feed from Kiera Nelligan after leaving a drop pass for her on a perfect give-and-go.  It would prove to be the game-winner at the 3:06 mark, but Nelligan would add an insurance goal as well at the 8:32 mark.

The Pioneers are next in action when they travel to Oswego State for two games next Friday and Saturday, with both games scheduled for 3:00 p.m. starts.