Simmons backstops Seahawks to 1-1 tie with Norwich

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. - Junior Rebecca Simmons (Averill Park, N.Y.) made 41 saves and senior Kristen Cokely (Cambridge, Mass.) scored the game-tying goal 4:34 into the second period as Salve Regina University skated to a 1-1 tie with Norwich University in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's East hockey action Saturday night at St. George's Rink.

The Cadets (10-3-1, 7-0-1) - who advanced to the NCAA Championship game last season and won their first seven ECAC contests this season - saw their three-game win streak snapped despite outshooting the Seahawks 42-11. Salve Regina (6-8-2, 5-3-1 ECAC), meanwhile, has now earned points in four of its last five contests and improved to 3-5-2 all-time against Norwich.

"I thought this was a tremendous effort. Norwich may be the best team in the country right now, and we're playing very well," said Salve Regina head coach Michael Cox. "Our players really rose to the occasion tonight, especially Rebecca. This feels more like a win than a tie."

Trailing 1-0 on sophomore Jillayne DeBus' (Howell, Mich.) eighth goal of the season on the power-play at 17:32 of the first, the Seahawks evened the contest with their fourth PP goal in the last three games. Sophomore Rachel Porter (Franklin, Mass.) fired a shot from the point that was stopped by freshman goalie Joanie Plamondon (Port-Rouge, Quebec), but Cokely pounced on the rebound and backhanded a shot into the net with the man-advantage. The goal was her second of the season.

The Seahawks outshot the Cadets 7-5 in the second period, but were outshot 22-1 the rest of the way, including 18-1 in the third period. During that span, the Seahawks blocked at least a dozen shots, and when the shots eluded them, Simmons was there to stymie the Cadets.

"We weren't sure how the early season scheduling would turn out," said Cox of the team's strong non-conference schedule to open the season. "It could have gone one of two ways: we could have lost our confidence and gone in one direction, but so far, it seems to have really boosted our confidence and raised our level of our play," said Cox.

The Cadets went 1-for-7 on the power-play while the Seahawks converted one on of their six opportunities. Plamondon turned aside 10 shots to move to 1-1-1. Simmons, meanwhile, goes to 2-4-2.

The Seahawks return to action on Friday when they host New England College at 4 p.m. The Cadets travel to Colchester, Vt. on Friday to play Saint Michael's at 7 p.m.