POTSDAM, N.Y.-The SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey team (1-0-1) scored four unanswered goals to defeat Saint Michael’s College (0-1-1) 5-2 on Saturday afternoon. Junior forward Jordan Ott (Hilton, N.Y./Rochester Edge) scored two goals for the Bears, including the game winner, and sophomore forwards Taylor Marcellus (Waddington, N.Y./Ontario Hockey Academy) and Anna-Rose Bertin (Marathon, Ontario/CIH Academy) recorded two assists.
After the teams killed off several penalties in the first half of the opening period, the offenses started to click. At 16:12, junior forward Roberta Beatty (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan/Ontario Hockey Academy) knocked home a loose puck to put Potsdam up 1-0. Marcellus and Bertin assisted on the goal. Just 30 seconds later, Purple Knights sophomore forward Jillian Witwicki (Danvers, Mass./Pingree School) tied the game with an assist from sophomore forward Ashley Dineen (Somers, N.Y./Canterbury School). The score remained even at the first intermission with the Bears holding a 19-4 advantage in shots.
Witwicki struck again 3:34 into the second period, picking off Potsdam a clearing attempt and wristing a shot over the right shoulder of Bears senior goalie Abby Tardelli (Potsdam, N.Y./North Country Ice Storm). Potsdam kept pressing and tied the score just over four minutes later. Senior forward Alison Greene (Massena, N.Y./Norwich University) fed Ott at the right of the crease and she knocked it home. At 14:10, senior defenseman Rachel Grefke (Livonia, Mich./Victory Honda) fired a shot from the left point and Ott deflected it past Saint Mike’s junior goalie Abby Burke (Bedford, Mass./The Rivers School) for the eventual game-winner. Greene earned the second assist on the play. The Bears carried the 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
It was all Potsdam in the third period as the Bears outshot the Purple Knights 16-5. At the 5:37 mark, sophomore forward Brenna Wilson (Kanata, Ontario/Ottawa Senators) scored to make it a 4-2 contest with helpers from Marcellus and Bertin. Five minutes later, freshman defenseman Rylie Murray (Berkley, Mich./Honeybaked) fired a shot from the right point that deflected off a Purple Knight and fluttered over Burke for Potsdam’s fifth and final goal. Freshman forward Tatum Walber (Orchard Park, N.Y./Buffalo Regals) and junior assistant captain Kaylen Van Wagner (Red Hook, N.Y./Hotchkiss Prep) assisted on the play.
Tardelli needed just 15 saves to earn her fifth career win, while Burke was strong with 43 stops. The Bears outshot Saint Mike’s 48-17 and went 0-for-3 on the power play. The Purple Knights were 0-for-1 on the man advantage.
Potsdam opens ECAC West play next weekend when the Bears head to Buffalo State for two contests.
