CORTLAND, N.Y. – Senior Vanessa Maines’ (Boxborough, MA/Boston Jr. Shamrocks) power-play goal early in the third period held up as the game-winning score as the Utica women’s ice hockey team defeated Cortland, 4-3, Friday night at Alumni Arena in non-confeerence action.
Sophomore Niamh O’Connor (Paramus, NJ/New Jersey Rockets) paced the Red Dragons (2-14-2) with a goal and an assist, while senior Gina Tomei (Bronx/Sound Shore Warriors) and sophomore Katie Gili (Brooklyn/New Jersey Rockets) each netted a goal. Junior Chelsie Hausberger (West Seneca/Buffalo Bisons) and freshman Sydney Carlucci (Baldwinsville/Rochester Edge) recorded one assist apiece. Sophomore goalie Deanna Meunier (Parsippany, NJ/New Jersey Rockets) registered 26 saves.
Freshman Gabrielle Schnepp (Northville, MI/Belle Tire) tallied a pair of goals for the Pioneers (12-5). Sophomore Morgan Reed (Fort Myers, FL/Cushing Academy) also scored for Utica. Maines, seniors Meredith Tice (Hershey, PA/Washington Pride) and Megan Myers (Las Vegas, NV/LA Selects) and sophomore Mackenzie Roy (Clinton/Lysander Lightning) each chipped in with an assist. Junior goalie Marissa McNamara (Camillus/Lysander Lightning) made 19 saves.
Utica opened up a 3-0 lead 12 minutes into the game. Schnepp scored her first of the night on a rebound at 1:03, Reed made it 2-0 with a deflection right in front at 2:19 and Schnepp knocked in her own rebound at 12:00. Cortland pulled to within 3-1 at the end of the first period when Tomei fired in a loose puck from the right side at 15:59 shortly after a Cortland power-play expired.
The Red Dragons evened the score at 3-3 after the second period. Gili netted a power-play goal at 2:27, putting her own rebound past McNamara. O’Connor then converted a breakaway at 8:17 for her team-high fifth goal of the season.
Maines netted what proved to be the game-winning goal at 3:20 of the third period, stuffing a shot inside the left post on the power play. Cortland pulled Meunier for an extra skater with 53 seconds remaining and had one final chance to score the equalizer but McNamara denied Tomei’s bid from the right side with seconds to play.
The same two teams play a non-conference game at Utica on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Score by periods:
Utica 3-0-1 4
Cortland 1-2-0 3
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Utica: Gabrielle Schnepp 2-0, Vanessa Maines 1-1, Morgan Reed 1-0, Mackenzie Roy 0-1, Meredith Tice 0-1, Megan Myeers 0-1
Cortland: Niamh O’Connor 1-1, Gina Tomei 1-0, Katie Gili 1-0, Chelsie Hausberger 0-1, Sydney Carlucci 0-1
Saves: Marissa McNamara (Utica) 19 saves (3 GA in 59:47), Empty Net :13; Deanna Meunier (Cortland) 26 saves (4 GA in 59:07), Empty Net :53
Shots on goal: Utica 30 (12-11-7), Cortland 22 (11-8-3)
Penalties: Utica 10-20:00, Cortland 5-10:00
Power Play: Cortland 1-8, Utica 1-4
Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 2-14-2; Utica (Pioneers) 12-5
