Women's Ice Hockey Falls to Niagara, 2-1
November 03, 2001 | Women's Hockey
Nov. 3, 2001
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass.-The Boston College women's ice hockey team lost, 2-1, to Niagara University on Saturday evening at Kelley Rink. With the loss, the Eagles fall to 1-2-0 overall and 0-2-0 in the ECAC. Niagara improves to 4-1-0 overall and 1-0-0 in the ECAC. Freshman goaltender Lisa Davis made a career-high 36 saves for BC.
What appeared to be a complete mismatch on paper, turned out to be anything but that. Niagara came into the match, having defeated Boston College all six times that they had played, including beating the Eagles by a combined 12-0 in two contests last season.
The teams started out slowly, as much of the first period was spent in the neutral zone. As the period progressed, however, the visiting Purple Eagles began to organize their offense. If not for the stellar play of Davis in net, BC might have trailed by one or more goals at the first intermission. Although they were outshot 14-7 after one, the home side had to feel happy about being tied at zero after one.
In the second period, Niagara came out flying. The majority of the second stanza was spent in the Boston College end, as the Purple Eagles peppered the BC net. Davis stood strong in net, stopping wave after wave of Niagara attacks.
It took an ill-timed Boston College penalty to allow the visitors to score first. At 5:16, with BC's Sarah McGarrell in the penalty box for hooking, senior defense Barbara Prall skated out from behind the net and fired two shots point blank on goal, the second of which beat Davis low to the glove side. Candice Ceelen was credited with the lone assist on the goal.
It did not take BC long to knot the score, however, as a counter attack rush by the Eagles resulted in a goal from Kaitlin McGrath. Senior captain Missy Barsz was the catalyst, breaking down the far side and feeding McGrath who beat Niagara goaltender Tania Pinelli through the five-hole at 7:08. The goal came completely against the run of play, as Niagara outshot the Eagles 16-2 in the period.
The momentum seemed to have shifted, but another untimely penalty for Boston College proved costly. At 9:38, with senior assistant captain Kelly McManus off for hooking, Niagara's Valerie Hall picked up a loose puck in front of the BC net and fired it farside past Davis for the Purple Eagles' second powerplay goal of the night.
The third period saw Boston College try to get back into the game, but Pinelli stopped every Eagle attempt. With time winding down, McManus picked up a Gen Richardson breakout pass and skated in alone. Pinelli skated out to cut down the angle and sprawled to cover the bottom of the net, robbing McManus of a sure goal. Head coach Tom Babson pulled Davis at 18:39 for the extra attacker, but BC could not mount any sustained attack. The game ended 2-1.
The two teams return to the ice on Sunday, November 4, 2001 in the second match of the weekend series at Kelley Rink. Game time is set for 2:30 p.m.
1 2 3 F Boston College (1-2-0) 0 1 0 1 Niagara (4-1-0) 0 2 0 2Shots: BC, 13, Niagara 38. Saves: BC, Davis 36, Niagara, Pinelli 12.
