The University of Maine and Providence College faced off on Friday and Saturday night at the Alfond Arena in Orono in a two game series that opened up women’s Hockey East play for both teams.
On Friday- Audrey Knapp scored with just over two seconds left in overtime, in lifting the visitors from Providence to a 3-2 win.
Maine took a 1-0 lead in the opening period, scoring their first goal of the season at 15:57. A shot from the point by Elise Morphy was tipped by Mira Seregely that was stopped by Providence goalie Hope Walinski, but Alyssa Wruble got to the rebound in front of the net and poked it in. The Friars took the lead with two goals just 1:22 apart in the second period, as Millie Sirum scored at 7:53 and Ashley Clark made it 2-1 PC at 9:15. The Black Bears tied it back up on the powerplay at 17:42 of the middle frame when Stephanie Jacob got her first collegiate goal tipping in a shot from the left point by Seregely, eventually sending the game to overtime. The winner by Knapp at 4:57.8 of the extra session was assisted by Cristina Cavaliere and Sarah Davis.
Seregely had two assists in the Maine loss, while Julia Bachetti made 32 saves in net. The Black Bears went 1-6 on the powerplay. Sirum and Clark each had a goal and an assist in the win for Providence, while Hannah Johnson also added two assists. Walinski made 34 stops, and the Friars went 0-5 on the powerplay.
On Saturday- In another very evenly matched game, a third period goal by Courtney Collarullo led Maine to the split with a 3-2 win and their first victory of the season.
After Providence scored the only goal of the first period by Johnson for a 1-0 lead, Maine would jump ahead in the second. Lila Shea buried the Black Bears first tally, after a puck was batted around and came right to her in the low slot. Shea stepped into the shot and hammered it home at 3:16. Wruble made it 2-1 in favor of the hosts with her second of the weekend when she slid one home after picking up her own rebound at 10:56. Lily Martinson tied it back up for the Friars under a minute later. The game winner in the third period by Colarullo came after Sam Morrison won a faceoff back to her in the PC zone. The shot from Colarullo through a partial screen from the right point beat Walinski inside the near post glove side at 13:26.
Colarullo had one goal and one assist in the Maine win. Morrison, Jamie Grinder, Mikayla Boarder, and Stephanie Jacob had one assist each. Bachetti made 32 saves in the cage. The Black Bears went 0-1 on the powerplay. Walinski made 30 stops in the loss for Providence (3-2, 1-1 in Hockey East). The Friars were 0-4 on the man advantage (0-9 on the weekend). The Black Bears (1-3, 1-1 in Hockey East) hit the road for the first time when they continue league play with a two game series at Boston University next Friday and Saturday.
Photos all courtesy of Anthony DelMonaco- UMaine Athletics
