FREDERICK, Md. –
Emily Cross's (Bryantown, Md./Tri-City Eagles) first collegiate goal with less than three minutes broke the dam open for the Hood College women's hockey team, leading the Blazers to a 4-1 win over Middle Atlantic Conference rival Stevenson University.
Inside the Box Score
Mia Cheesebrough (Mendota Heights, Mn./Two Rivers/St. Paul Riveters) and Cross both scored for Hood, with
Sofie Ancona (Grosse Point Farms, Mi./Saint Clair Shores Saints) adding two empty netters late to ice the game.
Ella Phillips (Midlothian, Va./North American Hockey Academy) and
Maria Dipierro (Cochranville, Pa./Jr. Flyers) assisted on the Blazers' first goal, while Cheesebrough assisted on Cross's tally.
Maggie Grijalva (Fullerton, Ca./Anaheim Lady Ducks AAA) made 35 saves in the win.
How it Happened
Hood had the game's first major opportunity, holding the puck in the offensive zone for the first few minutes. All that pressure eventually paid off when Cheesebrough picked up a puck after it deflected off a Stevenson defender and chipped it over the goalie to give the Blazers an early 1-0 lead. Hood got two more chances to improve its lead with back-to-back power plays, but a poorly received pass led to a two-on-one break for the Mustangs they would convert on for a shorthanded goal that tied things up. Neither team would get any good chances the rest of the period and would head into the first intermission tied 1-1.
The Blazers came out swinging again in the second period, peppering Stevenson with shots for the first 10 minutes of the period, but nothing would find the back of the net to break the tie. A late penalty against Hood gave the Mustangs their best chance of the period to score, but Grijalva knocked away everything sent towards her to keep things level at the end of the period. Ho
Momentum was firmly in favor of the Mustangs coming out for the final frame, with the visitors registering shot after shot without allowing one from the Blazers. Another penalty against Hood looked like it could be the backbreaker, but more spectacular play from Grijalva, including a post-to-post robbery late in the penalty kill, kept Stevenson off the board.
Another penalty had to be killed off by the Blazers late in the game when Cross was called for cross checking. The two-minute rest turned out to be just what she needed though, getting out of the box and on the board after going end-to-end and rifling a shot into the top corner of the net to restore Hood's one-goal lead with 2:45 left in the game. The goalie pull for the Mustangs happened just over a minute later, and Ancona hit the empty net twice to seal the win and claim the first victory in the Battle of I-70.
Analysis
Stevenson outshot Hood 36-28.
The Blazers went 1-4 on their power play chances, while the Mustangs went 0-3 on their player advantages.
Hood had a 27-26 edge in faceoffs.
Notes
The Blazers improve to 1-1-2 (1-1-2), and the Mustangs fall to 0-5-1 (0-3-1).
Up Next
Hood will stay at home for a game against MAC foe Wilkes University Friday, November 21 at 3:10 p.m.
