READING, Pa. – A
Sofie Ancona (Grosse Point Farms, Mi./Saint Clair Shores Saints) tally with eight minutes to play in regulation would be the difference for the Hood College women's ice hockey team to defeat Middle Atlantic Conference rival Alvernia University, with the Blazers coming away with a 2-1 victory.
Inside the Box Score
Ancona and
Lillian Scardicchio (Mundelein, Il./Milwaukee Jr. Admirals U19) each scored a goal.
Dakota Ormiston (Scituate, Ma./Portsmouth Abbey) and
Alyssa Wilson (Scottsdale, Az./Dallas Stars Elite AAA) both finished the game with an assist.
Maggie Grijalva (Fullerton, Ca./Anaheim Lady Ducks AAA) made 27 saves in the win.
How it Happened
Although Hood got the first shot on goal more than a minute into the game, it would be Alvernia who had the first period of sustained offensive pressure, forcing Grijalva to make big saves and keep things even early on. The Blazers would not convert on their first power play of the game, and both teams continued to go back and forth with their offensive chances for most of the period. Hood put on some pressure as the period wound down though, and Scardicchio was able to use a failed clear and rebound in front of the net to get the puck over the goal line for a 1-0 lead the Blazers would take into the first intermission.
A late first-period penalty on Hood gave the Golden Wolves a chance to tie things early in the second, but the Blazers held them to just one shot on goal for the duration of the penalty. Once again, both teams spent a significant amount of time getting good chances while unable to score, but with 3:29 left in the period, a wide shot from Alvernia deflected off one of their players and past Grijalva to tie things up with one period to play.
After a pair of early saves from Grijalva, the sophomore netminder would be tested once again just over six minutes in, stopping a 2-on-1 chance for the Golden Wolves with a pad save. Alvernia would get another back-to-back opportunity a couple minutes later, but again a sprawling Grijalva would keep things even.
With Hood able to pin the puck deep in Alvernia's zone with around 8:30 to play in regulation, Golden Wolves goalie Stephanie Skorupa could not locate it as easily as she would have liked, and Wilson was able to rifle a pass to Ancona on the open side of the net for a tap-in and a 2-1 lead.
Neither team wanted to give up too much momentum in a one-goal game, but a Blazers' power play with around 3:30 to play could have been the backbreaker for Alvernia. Unfortunately, Hood could not get it past Skorupa a third time, and a tripping penalty for the visiting Blazers immediately after their advantage gave the Golden Wolves a power play for the remainder of regulation. The goalie pull happened shortly after the faceoff stayed in Hood's zone for a 6-on-4 Alvernia advantage, but Grijalva did exactly what she had done earlier in the period and knocked away everything that went her way. One final shot from the point was kicked towards the end board, and the Blazers swarmed Grijalva as the buzzer sounded to finalize their 2-1 victory.
For the Opponent
Marissa Caswell scored the Golden Wolves' lone goal.
Skorupa made 29 saves in the loss.
Analysis
Hood outshot Alvernia 31-28.
Both teams went 0-2 on their power play opportunities.
The Golden Wolves had a 31-29 edge in faceoffs.
Notes
Hood improves to 7-4-2 (5-4-2) with the program's first victory over Alvernia, while the Golden Wolves drop to 7-4 (6-3).
Up Next
The Blazers finish the road weekend series against Alvernia Saturday, January 10 at 1 p.m.
