Fairfield, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team battled until the final whistle and ultimately defeated Assumption in a shootout after a 2-2 tie through regulation and overtime, earning two points in the New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) standings.
Records:
Sacred Heart: (5-11-1, 4-8-1 NEWHA)
Assumption: (7-10-2), 7-4-2 NEWHA)
Top Performers:
Maddie Smith: 1 goal
Grayson Limke: 1 goal
Hailey Jussila: 1 assist
Julianna Koman: 1 assist
Kailey Smith: 1 assist
Goaltending:
Sacred Heart:
Jillian Petruno: (L 5-7-1) 2 goals against | 35 saves
Assumption: Jadyn Weiser: 2 goals against | 33 saves
How it Happened:
- The Pioneers came out of the gates hot. After needing an early spark the past few weeks, they finally got one today. Limke buried a goal less than five minutes into the first period off a feed from Kailey Smith. The rest of the period saw chances from both sides, with each team getting a power play that was successfully killed. Petruno and the defense stood tall, sending the Pioneers into period two with a 1-0 lead.
- Period two started slower than the first, but both teams continued to trade chances throughout. Fourteen minutes into the period, Maddie Smith scored her first career goal, perfect timing, as it extended the Pioneers' lead to two. Petruno and the defense continued to shine, and the Pios headed into the third period up 2-0.
- Period three is when things got tricky for the Pioneers. Less than six minutes in, the Greyhounds scored to cut the lead in half—and less than a minute later, they struck again. Just like that, Sacred Heart's two-goal advantage was gone. The final eight minutes belonged to the Pioneers, who generated plenty of chances, but Assumption's defense held strong. The period ended tied 2-2, sending the game to overtime.
- In the five-minute overtime period, neither team was able to break through. Sacred Heart generated several strong chances but couldn't find the back of the net, sending the game to a shootout. Petruno was a brick wall, stopping all three of Assumption's attempts. Addie Bowlby scored the lone goal, securing the shootout win for the Pioneers.
Of Note:
- Maddie Smith scored her first career collegiate goal
- Limke scored her third goal of the season
- Jussila recorded her second assist of the season
- Koman earned her first assist of the year
- Kailey Smith recorded her second assist of the year
Up Next:
The Pioneers are back in action tomorrow as they travel to Worcester to play game two against the Assumption Greyhounds. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm at the Worcester Ice Center.
