Seahawks double-up Pilgrims for second straight victory

HENNIKER, N.H.—The New England College women's ice hockey team received two goals from senior Rachel Vigliano (Monroe, N.J.) but it was not enough, as the Pilgrims suffered a 4-2 loss to Salve Regina University on Saturday in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) action.

The loss drops the Pilgrims to 5-13-1 overall and 3-8-0 in NEHC play, while the Seahawks improve to 3-14-1 and 2-8-1 in league action.

HOW IT HAPPENED  

The Seahawks wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Madison McCann (Westerly, R.I.) scored just 1:51 into the game.

At the 5:16 mark, NEC evened the score when Alexa Scribner (Falmouth, Mass.) fed Vigliano for a shot just outside the crease to even the score at 1-1.

Salve Regina would reclaim the lead in the 14th minute on a power play. The Seahawks worked the puck around, setting up Erica Bonnette-Lyke (Swanton, Vt.) for her first career goal.

With less than five minutes remaining in the second period on a 4-v-4, Marisa Roth (Burlington, Mass.) won a face-off in the left offensive circle and tossed it back to Vigliano, who skated in a circle and then fired a lifted shot into the net to tie the score at 2-2.

Salve Regina was again quick to break up the tie, as Amanda Cronin (Medfield, Mass.) scooped up a loose puck in front of the NEC goal and poked it in for the 3-2 lead.

The Seahawks added an insurance goal a minute-and-a-half into the third period as Amanda Fantasia (Billerica, Mass.) scored on assists from Claire Lussier (Glenview, Ill.) and Briana D'Avolio (Reading, Mass.).

NEC pulled goaltender Jackie Clark (Dorchester, Mass.) in the final 1:35 of the game to skate the extra skater, but they only got a few shots off and Salve Regina had two looks at an empty net. One shot was blicked by Megan Servaes (Houston, Texas), while the other was wide of NEC's net.

GOALTENDERS

Clark finished with 35 saves and had double-figure saves in both the first and second periods, with 15 and 14, respectively. Salve Regina's goaltender Jennifer O'Connell (Marston Mills, Mass.) tallied 28 saves, including 12 in the third period.

BY THE NUMBERS

·         Salve Regina outshot NEC 39-30 on the day.

·         The Seahawks finished 1-for-3 on power play opportunities, while NEC had four power play opportunities but did not score.

·         It marks the third game this season that Vigliano has scored twice—she had two goals and an assist against Nichols on November 4^th and scored twice against Salem State on January 10^th.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Pilgrims return to action next Friday, February 3, when they travel to Biddeford, Maine for a  4 p.m. NEHC game against the University of New England. ​Salve Regina travels to face Saint Anselm on February 3 at 4 p.m.