Salve Regina upends Nichols, 4-1
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. - Senior Ashley Stoppa (Glastonbury, Conn.), sophomore Kathleen Roche (Boston, Mass.), and freshmen Sarah McCusker (Havertown, Pa.) and Melanie Sherlock (Colorado Springs, Colo.) each recorded a goal and an assist to lead the Salve Regina University women's hockey team to a 4-1 win over Nichols College in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) action Thursday afternoon at St. George's Rink.
Freshman Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.) stopped 19 Bison shots to improve to 6-0-0 on the season and help the Seahawks run their unbeaten streak to 10 games (8-0-2). Sophomore Mandy Manopla (West Palm Beach, Fla.) scored for Nichols, which slipped to 1-10-1 (1-7-1 ECAC) and 0-4 lifetime against Salve Regina.
The Seahawks jumped out a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal 4:16 into the contest. Sherlock slid a pass through the crease to Roche, who fired a shot past freshman goalie Melanie Spears (Woburn, Mass.) for her seventh goal of the year. McCusker made it 2-0 at 10:24 when her wrist shot beat Spears glove-side. Freshman Kelsey Talty (Fairport, N.Y.) and Stoppa were credited with assists on McCusker's fourth tally of the season.
In the second, Sherlock potted her sixth of the year on the power play with just 17 seconds remaining in the stanza. Roche carried the puck down the right side and slid the puck to Sherlock, who was parked at the left side of the net and one-timed the pass past Spears. Stoppa capped the scoring for the Seahawks in the third as she polished off a two-on-one with junior Kristen Cokely (Cambridge, Mass.) for her first goal of the season at 2:02. Manopla spoiled Muehlbronner's shutout bid at 7:04 of the third when she swept home a loose puck off a point shot.
"I thought we created a lot of opportunities on our power play. It just seemed like a lot of things were open today," said Salve Regina head coach Michael Cox. "We moved the puck well and saw the ice as well as we have since we've come back from break. It was nice to get those power-play goals."
Salve Regina outshot the Bison 28-20 on the afternoon and converted on two of their six chances with the extra skater. Spears finished with 24 saves for Nichols, which failed to capitalize on all seven of its power-play chances.
"Nichols competes very hard. They throw four lines at you, and their goaltending is very strong," added Cox. "They need a couple of playmakers and then they'll be a strong team. They're in a similar position to where we were a few years ago. They're not far away."
The Seahawks (10-2-2, 8-1-2 ECAC) return to action on Saturday when they host New England College at 8 p.m. The Bison host Saint Michael's Friday night at 8:30 p.m.