Andrie's two goals propel Seahawks past Purple Knights, 6-2

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. - Senior Kendra Andrie (Muskegon, Mich.) scored two goals and dished out an assist to lead the Salve Regina University women's ice hockey team to a 6-2 win over Saint Michael's College in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's East action Friday afternoon at St. George's Rink.

Sophomore Melanie Sherlock (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and freshman Erin McCullough (Ludlow, Mass.) each added a goal and two assists for the Seahawks (6-8-1, 5-3-0 ECAC), who have earned at least one point in three of their last four games and improved to 14-5 all-time against the Purple Knights (2-11-1, 1-5-1 ECAC).

The Seahawks built a 3-0 lead just over the halfway point of the first period behind goals by Andrie at 7:29, sophomore Caitlyn Farragher (Plymouth, Mass.) at 8:44, and Sherlock at 13:16. Andrie one-timed a pass from senior Danika Williams (Fairbanks, Alaska) at the left post to stake SRU to a 1-0 lead, then fed Farragher in the slot for a backhander that eluded sophomore netminder Erin Stevens (Watertown, Conn.) 75 seconds later. Sherlock's sixth goal of the season on the power-play came on a pass from sophomore Samantha Zitzer (River Forest, Ill.) out of the left corner. Junior Madelena Santore (Millington, N.J.) cut the Purple Knights deficit to 3-1 at the end of 20 minutes of action with her team-leading 10th goal of the season at 18:28.

"We came out strong and fast and took charge of the game early," said Salve Regina head coach Michael Cox. "That's something we focused on in the locker room before the game, so we were very happy with that."

In the second, Andrie's second of the afternoon and sixth of the season on the power-play at 9:32 stretched the Seahawks lead to 4-1. With 13 seconds remaining in the period, sophomore and leading-scorer Rachel Porter (Franklin, Mass.) potted her seventh of the year, making it 5-1 in favor of the Seahawks at the second intermission. "We changed our power play a little bit," said Cox. "We loosened it up and added a few more options since break, and it seems to be clicking. It's definitely been an asset for us."

McCullough tacked on her fifth of the season at 8:07 of the third to make it 6-1 (click HERE to see McCullough's goal). Porter and Sherlock picked up assists on the marker. Freshman Macey Thomas (Amherst, Mass.) closed the scoring with her second-collegiate goal at 17:54.

The Seahawks outshot Saint Michael's 35-29 and went 2-for-9 with the man advantage. Sophomore Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.) stopped 27 of the 29 shots she faced to even her record at 4-4 on the season. Stevens turned aside 29 shots for the Purple Knights.

The Seahawks return to action on Saturday when they host Norwich at 7 p.m. The Purple Knights face Holy Cross tomorrow at 3 p.m. in Worcester, Mass.