Seahawks suffer first setback in 1-0 loss to Crusaders

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. - Despite senior goalkeeper Ali Muehlbronner's (Glenside, Pa.) 35 saves, the Salve Regina University women's ice hockey team suffered their first defeat of the season with a 1-0 loss versus Holy Cross at St. George's Ice Rink on Saturday night. The loss drops the Seahawks to 3-1-0 overall while evening their Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's East mark at 1-1. The win gave the Crusaders their first conference win of the year, improving the team to 2-1-0 overall and 1-1 in ECACE play.

Muehlbronner kept the Seahawks in the contest with several terrific saves, stopping 35-of-36 shots while earning the tough luck loss and falling to 3-1-0 on the season.

Senior Caroline English (Dorchester, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal for the Crusaders, while sophomore Krista Manzanares (Rancho Santo Margarita, Calif.) stopped all 26 shots she faced to record her first shutout of the season, improving to 2-0-0. The Crusaders also received a fine effort from senior Rebecca O'Quinn (Arlington, Mass.) and sophomore Francesca Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) who each assisted on the game-winner.

Holy Cross outshot Salve Regina by a 21-6 margin in the opening period, and finally broke through with a power play goal at the 9:19 mark of the frame. O'Quinn fed the puck to Panarelli who fired a slapshot from the right side which Muehlbronner managed to save. However, the rebound kicked away to English who slapped the puck into the back of the net for the game-winner.

The Seahawks rallied back to outshoot the Crusaders by a 19-15 margin the rest of the way, but were unable to get anything past Manzanares in net. Perhaps their best opportunity came midway through the second period when senior Rachel Porter (Franklin, Mass.) skated through the slot and then slipped a pretty pass to sophomore Taylor Shepherd (Quincy, Mass.) on the left side. Shepherd delivered a wrister that beat the goalie over her left shoulder, however, the puck rang off the post and bounced away harmlessly. 

The Seahawks pulled the goalie late in the third, but were unable to muster any shots on net as the Crusaders held on for the 1-0 victory.

Both teams return to conference action on the road next Friday, with the Crusaders facing-off against UMass Boston at 4 p.m., and the Seahawks battling Saint Anselm at 7 p.m.