HENNIKER, N.H.-The SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey team (4-7-2) broke out of a five-game skid with a 3-1 victory at New England College (5-7) on Saturday afternoon. Senior forward Alison Greene (Massena, N.Y./Norwich University), freshman defenseman Rylie Murray (Berkley, Mich./Honeybaked), and junior forward Jordan Ott (Hilton, N.Y./Rochester Edge) each scored for the Bears. Senior assistant captain Abby Tardelli (Potsdam, N.Y./North Country Ice Storm) made 33 saves to earn the victory.
The Pilgrims outshot Potsdam 17-9 in the opening period, thanks in part to two power plays. However, more stellar play from Tardelli kept NEC off the board in the opening 20 minutes. The game was scoreless until the final six seconds of the period when Greene beat Pilgrim goalie Lindsey Powers.
The roles were reversed during the first 12 minutes of the second period. Potsdam built momentum with its two power plays, though didn’t score on the man advantages. Murray made it 2-0 at 14:52 with assists from junior assistant captain Kaylen Van Wagner (Red Hook, N.Y./Hotchiss) and Greene. After the teams traded another fruitless power play each, Ott scored an unassisted marker to make it 3-0 at 17:02. The score was unchanged after 40 minutes.
Potsdam held the edge in shots in the third period at 11-8, but was unable to extend its lead. Instead it was Alexis Severance getting the lone goal of the final stanza at 6:48 to close the gap to 3-1. Powers was pulled for an extra attacker with 41 seconds remaining, but the Pilgrims were unable to get any closer.
Powers matched Tardelli with 33 stops. The Bears were 0-for-3 on the power play and NEC finished 0-for-4.
Potsdam heads to Worcester, Mass. to wrap up the semester tomorrow afternoon for the Bears’ first ever meeting with Becker College at 12:30 p.m.
