Rookie forward Jacquie Diffley scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal near the midway point of the first period to lead the No. 6/7 St. Lawrence University women’s hockey team to a 3-1 win over the University of Vermont in a non-league game at Appleton Arena on Friday night.
After a penalty on Amanda Butterfield expired, she immediately skated to the Saints’ bench, and Diffley jumped onto the ice. Kennedy Marchment found Diffley all alone at the Vermont blue line. The Burlington, Mass., native, took the pass, made a great move at the net and flipped a backhand shot over Vermont goaltender Melissa Black to give the Saints a 2-0 lead at the first intermission.
Brooke Webster scored the Saints’ first goal five minutes into the game, taking a pass from Marchment between the faceoff circles and sending a low wrist shot past Catamount goaltender Melissa Black’s blocker for her sixth goal of the season.
Kayla Nielsen gave St. Lawrence a 3-0 lead, tipping in a shot by Justine Reyes early in the second period for her first goal of the season.
“We had some nice bounces to build a three-goal lead,” said St. Lawrence head coach Chris Wells ’92. “We had some great chances halfway through the game to make it 4-0, but Black was solid and UVM started to change the momentum and get some chances as well.”
Eve-Audrey Picard scored a power play goal for the Catamounts, working the puck in from the left side and lifting a backhand into the top right corner for her fourth goal of the season.
Grace Harrison, however, did not allow Vermont to get any closer, making a total of 25 saves in the game to improve to 4-0-1 on the season. Black made 26 saves and fell to 1-1-1.
Marchment, who entered the weekend leading the nation in points per game and assists per game, increased her season totals to 11 assist and 12 points.
St. Lawrence improved to 4-0-1 on the season, while Vermont fell to 2-2-1. Vermont finished 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Saints were scoreless in two opportunities.
The two teams will meet again at Gutterson Fieldhouse in Burlington, Vt., on Saturday at 4 p.m.
