Richard and Pereira score against No.15 Endicott, Seahawks fall 5-2

BEVERLY, Mass. (Saturday, December 9, 2023)-- The Endicott College Gulls defended their No.15 ranking, delivering a 5-2 Salve Regina women's ice hockey defeat. 

The two Seahawk scorers were Gina Richard and Emma Pereira. After today's result the Seahawks fall to 4-2-1 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference and the Gulls move to 5-2-0. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Salve Regina 2, Endicott 5
Records: Salve Regina (7-2-1, 4-2-1 CCC), Endicott (8-4-0, 5-2-0 CCC)
All-Time Series: Before the contest began Salve Regina was 1-15-2 against Endicott. Last season on January 21, 2023, the Seahawks earned a 3-2 victory over the Gulls. The two ties came in 2015 (2-2) and 2018 (1-1). 

BREAKDOWN: 

• Period I: Endicott won the opening faceoff, but Seahawks' Jennifer Rickard got the first shot off of the day, which was saved by Gulls' Casey Moritz. Emma Gotthelf took the next stab at it, resulting in another save for the Gulls. Teaghan Hall set the Gulls ahead with a goal 8:48 into the day. However freshman, CCC rookie of the week, Gina Richard got the Seahawks on the board, responding to Endicott's early success. Richard was assisted by Emily Wroblewski and Caroline Pekkala. To break the first period tie Teaghan Hall scored her second goal of the day with 1:20 to go in the period, bringing the score to 2-1 in favor of the Gulls. 
• Period II: The only scoring of the second period came with nine and a half minutes left. Samantha Fantasia extended the Gulls lead to 3-1. Endicott was called twice for infractions during the period; however the Seahawks went 0-2 on the power play. The Seahawks were called on one infraction but posted a strong penalty kill making the Gulls 0-1 on the power play.
• Period III: Coming out of the second intermission the Seahawks brought a new perspective to the ice, determined to rattle the Gulls. Shortly after the period commenced Salve Regina did just that. Emma Pereira scored (from Taylor Stirling and Ashtyn Bringardner) with 3:25 down. Pereira's success came after Gulls' Teaghan Hall was sent to the penalty box for roughing. This power play goal brought the game to 3-2. Endicott responded with two goals two minutes apart, holding on to their No.15 ranking. Lindsay Goodman (12:38) and Samantha Fantasia (14:36) brought the game to 5-2 in regulation. 

NOTEWORTHY:

• When the Seahawks beat Endicott in January of 2023, Emma Periera got the Seahawks on the board first with a goal (from Emily Wagner) 6:12 into the first period. Endicott inched ahead with two goals in period two, but Riley Esposito (from Jillian Egan and Grace Dumond) tied the game with a power play goal 8:48 into the third period. The contest went into overtime and within 30 seconds Riley Esposito (from Emma Periera and Tori Amaral) found the net for another power play goal and a 3-2 final score.
• Sydney Baxter remained on the ice for the full 60 minutes, making 28 saves. 
• Gulls' Casey Moritz left the ice for 11 seconds and made 22 saves. 
• The Seahawks served six minutes on three infractions and the Gulls spent eight minutes in the penalty box with four infractions. 

ON THE HORIZON: 

The Seahawks will compete again tomorrow against the Anna Maria College AMCATS at 6:40 p.m. in Worcester, Massachusetts at the Buffone Skating Arena.