SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Orange scored three times, including twice in the second period, but could not keep pace with Princeton’s high-octane offensive attack, as the Syracuse hockey team suffered a 5-3 setback Sunday afternoon inside Tennity Ice Pavilion.
Syracuse sits at 4-7-1 overall after the loss.
“If you watched our first shift, we were ready to play,” head coach Paul Flanagan said. “We had a great first shift, but a few defensive blunders led to their first two goals. The kids responded, but we were chasing them the rest of the game.”
HOW IT WAS DECIDED
Princeton was ahead by two goals four minutes into the game. The Tigers’ Sharon Frankel struck first, scoring at 1:55 of the opening period before her teammate Maggie Connors added to their lead two minutes later.
Syracuse looked much different in the second period. Trailing 2-0 at the start of the period, freshman forward Marielle McHale scored her second goal of the season within the first two minutes of the period, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Princeton countered with a goal at 12:43 to push its lead back to two goals, but sophomore defenseman Jessica DiGirolamo delivered the Orange’s next blow. Her power play goal at 16:30 closed the gap to 3-2, keeping the game close heading into the second intermission. Freshman forwards Abby Moloughney and Lauren Bellefontaine provided assists on DiGirolamo’s fourth goal of the year.
The third period was a defensive deadlock for the first 16 minutes of play. Princeton fended off Syracuse’s repeated comeback threats before the Tigers’ Karlie Lund connected on the game-winning goal at 16:27.
Syracuse pulled its goaltender shortly after and redshirt junior defenseman Lindsay Eastwood capitalized on the advantage, scoring her second of the year to cut the Orange’s deficit back to one goal.
It was too little too late, however. Princeton had a response for every Syracuse goal, as Stephanie Sucharda scored an empty-netter with a little over a minute left to play in regulation to seal the 5-3 win.
OF NOTE
The Orange outshot Princeton for the second game in a row, 29-19. Senior defenseman Allie Munroe and junior forward Kelli Rowswell shared a team-high four shots on net.
Sophomore forward Emma Polaski and junior defender Allie Olnowich earned assists on McHale’s goal, while redshirt senior forward Brooke Avery and Munroe picked up assists on Eastwood’s tally. Munroe now leads the team with seven assists through 11 games this season.
Senior goaltender Maddi Welch started in net and came up with 14 saves. Entering Sunday’s game, she had allowed three goals and recorded 57 saves across her last three starts.
HEAR MORE FROM COACH FLANAGAN
“Offensively, we had some trouble getting pucks through. They blocked a lot of shots, and we had a lot of shot attempts. so that means we had a lot of possession.”
“We really struggled until Lindsay [Eastwood] scored that one. We couldn’t get enough going. We just didn’t get enough good chances. We’ve got to be better, and we’ve got to work at generating more quality chances to get ready for next weekend.”
WHAT LIES AHEAD
Syracuse next hosts College Hockey America opponent RIT at home Friday, Nov. 16. The puck drops at 6 p.m.
