Petford led the Skyhawks on the night with an assist and the game-winning goal. (Photo Credit Jim Pierce).

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (February 23, 2024) – The Stonehill College women's ice hockey team battled to a 3-2 victory in game one of the NEWHA quarterfinal against Assumption at the Bridgewater Ice Arena Friday night.

Highlights

• Sophomore forward Alexis Petford led the Stonehill offense with two points on the night off a goal and an assist.
• Petford's goal marked her third game-winner of the season.
• Sophomore duo of Bailey Feeney and Lily Geist netted their seventh and 10th goals, respectively.
• Senior captain Paige Whaley, as well as sophomore classmates Sydney Russell and Kathryn Karo dished out assists for the Skyhawks.
• Sophomore netminder Eve Stone picked up the win in goal after stopping 31 shots in between the pipes for Stonehill.
• Junior Sheridan Terrazzano scored her 10th goal of the year, while first-year defender Teagan Vaughan lit the lamp on her fourth for Assumption.
• Junior goaltender Carissa Mudrak tallied 39 saves on the night for the Greyhounds.

How it Happened

• Both sides would go back and forth, trading shots throughout the opening 20 minutes of action, as after a combined 30 shots on goal, neither Stone nor Mudrak would let up the game's opening tally in the opening frame.
• In the second period, the back-and-forth affair would continue until the 8:55 mark, when the Skyhawks would light the lamp and crack the scoresheet. 
• Petford sent a pass off the half wall to Feeney, who, from the slot, fired a wrist shot over Mudrak's blocker to give Stonehill a one-goal lead midway through the second. 
• Coming out of the break, the Skyhawks looked to extend their lead and gain a sense of breathing room.

  Stone stood tall in net, making 31 saves on the night against the Greyhounds. (Photo Credit Jim Pierce).

• Geist would answer that call, wasting little time in the third period and netting her 10th of the season just 42 seconds into the final frame.
• However, Assumption would answer and bring the game to within one just over 30 seconds later with a lamp lighter off the stick of Terrazzano. 
• Less than five minutes gone in the third, the Greyhounds would find the back of the net once again at the 4:18 mark to tie the game up at two apiece after a Vaughan shot off the blue line deflected into the back of the cage off the skate of a Skyhawk defender. 
• With the match still knotted at two goals aside, sophomore Maddison Achtyl nearly gave the Skyhawks a late-game lead at the 14:41 mark after sending a wrist shot off the post. 
• After drawing a tripping penalty in the waning minutes of the third, the Skyhawks power-play unit would waste no time finding the back of the net.
• Just 11 seconds into the skater advantage, Petford would fire a shot to the upper left corner of the Assumption cage, regaining the Skyhawks lead with just over four minutes to play in regulation. 
• Despite the late push to mount a comeback, the Stonehill defense would hold tough and hang on to earn a game one, 3-2, victory over the Greyhounds. 

Whaley finished with a team-high 14 faceoff wins at the dot. (Photo Credit Mary Gettens).

Noteworthy

• Stonehill dominated the faceoff circle, winning 43 of the 59 total draws.
• Paving the way at the dot were centers Josie Mendeszoon, sophomore Brianna Walkom, Whaley, and Karo, who each won north of 65 percent of their faceoffs throughout the contest.
• The Skyhawks also outshot the Greyhounds, 42-33, as Petford finished with a game-high eight shots on goal.
• Stonehill now leads the all-time series 4-1-0.

Up Next

Stonehill (18-15-2, 17-9-2 NEWHA) face off against Assumption in game two of the opening round of the NEWHA postseason tournament on Saturday. Puck drop between the Skyhawks and Greyhounds from the Bridgewater Ice Arena is set for 3 p.m.

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