GENEVA, N.Y.-The William Smith College ice hockey team scored six unanswered goals as it defeated Neumann 6-1 in a United Collegiate Hockey Conference contest at The Cooler this afternoon. With the win, the Herons improve to 8-0-0 overall and 6-0-0 in conference play.
The Herons are on their longest win streak in program history and need a win or a tie in their next game to match the longest unbeaten streak in program history. William Smith was 7-0-2 to start the 2017-18 season.
First-year Abbey Luth led the way for the Herons with a pair of goals. Three other players recorded multi-point games, including sophomore Jules Kennedy (1g, 1a), sophomore Emily Martino (1g, 1a), and senior Jordan Roetzer (2a). Sophomore Olivia Williams started in goal and made 20 saves in 60 minutes of action. Jackie Schneider scored for Neumann (1-8-0, 0-6-0). Helen Cooney made 50 saves in 60 minutes of action for the Knights.
The Herons controlled the tempo of the game from the opening whistle but they could not find the back of the net in the opening 20 minutes. Sophomore Julia Mings and Roetzer had golden scoring opportunities from inside the faceoff dots but fired shots off the left goal post.
Neumann broke through for its first goal of the weekend at 18:47 of the first period. Schneider wristed a shot from the left faceoff circle that that trickled through Williams’ pads and into the net. It was her fifth goal of the season. Angeline Taiariol and Claudia Trionfo were credited with assists on the goal.
William Smith turned up the pressure in the second period, firing three pucks past Cooney. Kennedy tied the game at the 1:26 mark of the period. She picked up a rebound on the left goal post and banged home her fifth goal of the season. Roetzer was credited with an assist on the goal. Mings notched her fifth goal of the season at the 8:16 mark of the second period. Her power play goal was assisted by Roetzer and Kennedy. Roetzer’s shot from low slot was stopped by Cooney. The rebound bounced right to Mings who flicked the shot into back of the net. Just over two minutes later Luth struck for her first goal of the game. She broke up a clearing attempt along the half boards, carried the puck into the slot, deked around the goalie and flipped the puck across the goal line.
William Smith carried the momentum into the third period. Junior Gina Scibetta gave William Smith a 4-1 lead at the 5:31 mark of the period. Her sixth goal of the season was assisted by senior Laura Rollins. Rollins fired a shot from the point intentionally wide. Scibetta collected the puck below the goal line, carried it around the back of the net and wristed a shot from the left faceoff that trickled down Cooney’s back and into the goal. Just under three minutes later sophomore Emily Martino notched her third goal of the season with a hard shot that beat Cooney glove side. First-year Taylor Ettore notched an assist on the goal for her first collegiate point. Luth closed out the scoring with nine seconds remaining in regulation. She crashed the net and poked a rebound across the goal line. Emily Martino was credited with an assist on the goal.
William Smith finished the game with a 56-21 edge in shots on goal. The Herons were 1-for-10 on the power play while Neumann was 0-for-8 with the extra attacker.
William Smith will be back in action next weekend Dec. 7-8, when it takes on Chatham. Faceoff in Pittsburgh Pa. is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday.
