South Burlington, VT-Vanessa Carter (Summerstown, Ontario/Cornwall Typhoon) turned away a penalty shot with just 16 seconds remaining to preserve a 5-4 ECAC East victory over St. Michael's College. The Spartans held off a third period rally by St. Michael's, that saw the Purple Knights score three unanswered goals in the period.
For the Spartans (3-10-0, 1-9-0 ECAC), sophomores Adrianna Riggio (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) and Katelyn Green (Westborough, Mass/Assabet Valley) and freshmen Maryanne Diehm (Rockaway Beach, N.Y./Sound Shore Warriors) and Nicole Adams (Rutland, Vt./Bershire/NAHA) recorded a goal and an assist apiece. Sophomore Kayla Twigge (Almonte, Ontario/Perth Wings) added a power play goal for Castleton State in the victory. Carter pushed aside 34 shots to earn the victory.
For the Purple Knights, (4-8-0, 2-6-0 ECAC) Meghan Sweezey (Lynnfield, MA/Lynnfield) scored twice and registered two assists, while Melissa Gagne (Eliot, ME/Berwick Academy) also scored two and added an assist in the defeat for the Purple Knights. Freshman Sarah Landis (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/ Cape Elizabeth) recorded two assists for Saint Michael's. Sophomore Melanie Cullen (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) made eight saves and sophomore Kristen Salierno (Ridgefield, Conn./ Connecticut Stars) makes 12 saves in relief.
Castleton State got on the board first with a power play goal from Riggio midway through the first period. SarahParsons took a shot from the blue line that was initially saved, but the puck kicked out to the left circle and Riggio scored over the right shoulder of the goaltender.
Saint Michael's evened it at one just 39 seconds into the second period as Sweezey broke in from the blue line and beat the goaltender on the backhand. The Spartans went back up just 26 seconds later as Adams scored to put Castleton State on top 2-1. They made it 3-1, less than a minute later as Green skated in from the blue line and beat the goaltender on the forehand. Twigge added another power play goal that gave the Spartans a commanding 4-1 lead. Diehm scored the fourth goal of the period on the power play, as she received a nice pass from Green that skipped over a Saint Michael's stick and onto Diehm's stick for the goal.
In the third period, Saint Michael's narrowed the lead to three as Gagne scored midway through the period with assist credited to Landis. Sweezey scored her second score of game on the power play with four minutes remaining when she cleaned up a rebound in front of the net to cut the deficit to two at 5-3. Gagne added her second goal with 47 seconds remaining in game. The Purple Knights had a chance to tie as they received a penalty shot with 16 seconds remaining but Carter was able to make the save and preserve the 5-4 victory.
The Purple Knights will be on the road at Manhattanville on Saturday, January 13, at 3 p.m. and at Salve Regina on Sunday, January 14, before returning home to face Holy Cross on January 19 at 7 p.m. at Cairns Arena.
