SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse women’s ice hockey team battled conference foe Penn State to a 2-2 draw, Saturday afternoon at Tennity Ice Pavilion, to take three of the four points up for grabs in the series. This is the second tie of the season for Syracuse as the Orange opened the 2017-18 campaign with a 0-0 tie at Bemidji State.
“I think the kids are starting to know their roles better and they just have more confidence,” said head coach Paul Flanagan. “We were trying to be aggressive and force plays that [Penn State] didn’t want to make.”
HOW IT WAS DECIDED
Junior Allie Munroe opened up scoring for the Orange, sniping the puck to the top left corner, thanks in part to an effective screen by freshman Victoria Klimek. The Nittany Lions responded with a power play goal of their own with just a minute left in the first period to tie the game at one heading into the first intermission.
Penn State took a 2-1 lead in the middle of the second frame but the Orange would not go quietly as the defense buckled down, blocking 15 shots during the contest to keep Syracuse in the game. It was redshirt junior Brooke Avery, who ultimately scored the game-tying goal, tipping a pass from Lindsay Eastwood past the Penn State goalie.
Each team had scoring opportunities in the five-minute overtime period but grittiness on both parts forced the game to result in a tie.
OF NOTE
Munroe’s goal in the first period was her first score of the season and the 12 of her career. She sits tied with fellow teammate Megan Quinn for sixth on Syracuse’s all-time list for points by a defenseman with 35 in her career.
Syracuse has seen a boost on offense in recent games, notching 12 goals in the last six games. This is an exponential increase over the four goals in five games that the Orange scored to start the season. Eight different players have scored for ‘Cuse this year, led by Klimek, Kelli Rowswell and Stephanie Grossi, all of whom have three goals this season.
UP NEXT
The Orange travel to RIT on Nov. 17 before returning home to Tennity Ice Pavilion on Nov. 18 in a home-and-home series with the Tigers. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Admission to all home games at Tennity is free.
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