RYE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville women’s hockey team scored two goals in the final 11:10 of play, but it wasn’t enough as the team fell to the Franklin Pierce Ravens by a final score of 3-2. Seniors Michele Meggiolaro (Whippany, N.J./New Jersey Colonials (MAWHA)) and Alla Traun (Edina, Minn./Minnesota Thoroughbreds (JWHL)) each picked up a goal in their final regular-season home game.
The Valiants started the game with plenty of energy as the six graduating seniors were all on the ice for the opening face-off. Controlling possession from the drop of the puck, the Valiants pressured the Ravens for the first minute and a half.
As things were getting going, a quick breakout from Franklin Pierce led to forward Bryana Harron throwing a puck on goal that somehow managed to get through senior goaltender Kirsten Shaughnessy (Le Center, Minn./LeSueur-Henderson St. Peter), giving the Ravens a 1-0 lead just 1:47 into play. The Valiants struggled to regain the momentum after that point.
At the 12:53 mark of the first, Hayley Arnold threw a puck on goal from the top of the face-off circle and the puck somehow bounced out of Shaughnessy’s glove and into the net. After posting a 19-save shutout Friday evening, Shaughnessy stopped 17 of 20 in Saturday’s defeat.
The score remained 2-0 until over halfway through the second period when Nina Danforth made the most of a fortunate bounce that led the puck right to the tape of her stick, the forward fired a shot along the ice that beat Shaughnessy five-hole.
The Valiants entered the third period down 3-0, having come back from third period deficits twice in the last two weeks. The team struggled to shift momentum during the game but finally broke through when Meggiolaro followed her initial shot to the goal and was able to bury the rebound at the back post.
Trailing 3-1 with 11:10 remaining, the Valiants shifted the game in their favor and began pressuring the Ravens as they began getting shots in high-scoring areas and putting traffic in front of Franklin Pierce goaltender Shannon O’Neil. O’Neil was the better of the two keepers on the day, turning away 22 of the 24 shots the Valiants put on goal.
As the period drew to a close, the Valiants pulled Shaughnessy to get an extra attacker on the ice. The move paid off, just 29 seconds after pulling the goalie, senior Rachael Morrison (Ridgefield, Conn./Sound Shore Warriors (MAWHL)) hit Meggiolaro with a quick pass who then whipped a pass through the slot that Traun buried on a one-timer. The chemistry between the four-year letter winners paid off for the Valiants again, as it has so many times throughout the last few years.
Down 3-2 with 1:18 remaining in the game, the Valiants were able to create a few more scoring opportunities but were unable to get the puck past O’Neil to tie the game.
It is a tough loss on senior day for the six graduating members of the women’s hockey team. However, if the Valiants can play like they did the last 11 minutes, for an entire game, they have a good a chance as any team to win the ECAC East.
This is not the last game at Playland Ice Casino for the seniors as the team is slated to host an ECAC East Quarterfinal matchup on February 28.
The Valiants have a very “holy” weekend to close out the season, playing Saint Michael’s and Saint Anselm next Friday and Saturday.
