BUFFALO, N.Y.– Caitie Horvatits (Elma, NY/Iroquois) scored twice including the game-winner with less than two minutes remaining to lift Buffalo State to a 4-3 non-conference victory over visiting William Smith today at the Ice Arena.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State – 4, William Smith – 3
LOCATION: Ice Arena – Buffalo, N.Y.
RECORDS: Buffalo State (8-6-1), William Smith (8-3-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Emma Ruggiero (Amherst, NY/Sacred Heart) added a goal and two assists for Buffalo State.
Erin Gehen (W. Seneca, NY/W. Seneca West) also scored, and Bri Carroll (Peoria, AZ/AZ Virtual Academy) had two assists.
Justine Silva (El Monte, CA/Arroyo) made 31 saves in her first action since Nov. 11 for the win.
William Smith opened the scoring just over four minutes into the game, but the Bengals pulled even with Ruggiero’s sixth of the season on the power play midway through the opening period.
Gehen put the Bengals ahead with a shorthanded marker just 1:17 into the second period, but this time the Herons had an answer less than one minute later.
Horvatits reclaimed the lead for Buffalo State later in the period with her first of the game and third of the season.
William Smith knotted the score again early in the final frame, but Horvatits netted the game winner with just 1:49 remaining and the Bengals held on for the victory.
Buffalo State outshot the Herons 11-4 over the final 20 minutes. William Smith held a 34-32 edge in shot for the game with 16 of its shots coming on nine power-play chances.
FOR THE FOES
Maura Mulligan, Krista Federow and Jules Kennedy scored for William Smith.
Maggie Salmon finished with 28 saves in goal.
FOR THE FOES
Gehen, Buffalo State’s all-time leading scorer, became the first player in school history with 50 career goals, netting her eighth of the season.
UP NEXT
Buffalo State will host No. 1-ranked Plattsburgh for a pair of NEWHL contests this Friday at Saturday.
