FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Kate Helgeson's fifth goal of the season gave the Sacred Heart University women's hockey team a fighting chance as the Pios fell in the semifinal of the 2024 Nutmeg Classic to No. 9/7 Quinnipiac, 8-1, on Friday afternoon. The loss snaps SHU's seven-game win streak as the Pios fall to 11-4-0 on the season. 
 
Helgeson's second period tally stopped the hemorrhage of scoring in the middle frame with the Pioneer senior finishing off a bid out in front. Following an icing from the Bobcats, SHU won the ensuing faceoff, working the puck up to the point for a Kailey Smith shot that made its way on frame. The rebound chance was nearly slotted home by Sami Bowlby but glanced off the post and right into the path of Helgeson who deposited the puck into an empty net. 
 

Let's take a look at Kate's fifth of the season that got us on the board!

Good offensive zone pressure from SHU leads to the chance as Helgeson is left wide open in front. pic.twitter.com/WDpbNrDK4G

— SHU Women's Ice Hockey (@SHU_WIH) November 29, 2024

 
With its strongest play having come in the second period, the Pios entered the frame down a handful of goals after Quinnipiac utilized two separate scoring surges to take a 4-0 lead into the first intermission. Though SHU claimed the lone shot on goal through the first six minutes of action, the Bobcats lit the flame offensively, scoring twice within 19 seconds to grab a 2-0 lead just over eight minutes into regulation. 
 
Having capitalized in quick succession just four minutes earlier, Quinnipiac's Kahlen Lamarche grabbed her first two goals of the afternoon, tallying on a breakaway chance before earning a power-play tally 1:50 later as the Bobcat lead grew to four. SHU goaltender Lauren Larson had her work cutout for her, stopping 14 during the first frame while her defense blocked 10 Bobcat shots through 20 minutes of action. 
 
On a fresh sheet of ice, QU grabbed a 5-0 lead as Lamarche finished off the natural hat trick with a goal 25 seconds into the frame. Four minutes later, QU grabbed its sixth goal of the contest with Laurence Frenette beating Larson before SHU dug into the lead and took the shutout bid away as Helgeson buried the best chance for the Pios up to that point. 
 
Quinnipiac tallied twice more during the contest, once in the latter half of the second period and once in the middle portion of the third to ride out an 8-1 win. In goal, Larson kept the opposition at bay for most of the afternoon, stopping 35 shots through the final 40 minutes in just her third career start. 
 
Of Note:

• Helgeson's tally is her fifth of the season as she has scored in consecutive games for the first time in her career. 
• Larson's 41 saves is a new career-high for the Pioneer sophomore. 
• Popick's eight blocks sets a new single game, career-high in that category. 
• Savannah Popick and Sydney Antonakis both skated in their 100^th collegiate game during this afternoon's contest. 

 
Up Next:
The Pioneers close out the 2024 Nutmeg Classic by taking on either No. 14 UConn or RV Yale in the third-place match at 3 p.m. More information can be found at sacredheartpioneers.com.