Box Score SCHENECTADY, NY – Senior Senior Day got off to a memorable start for Union Saturday against Princeton. The Dutchwomen took an early 1-0 lead when freshman
Meagan Beck (Niskayuna, NY) picked off a pass in the Tigers' zone at the left face off circle and blasted a shot to the back of the net at 13:30. Union, which was out shot 22-3 in the opening period, clung to the lead for the next seven minutes until the nation's fifth-ranked team scored a pair of goals seven seconds apart to take a 2-1 lead into the intermission. The Dutchwomen (3-22-1; 0-18-0) never regained the momentum, falling by a final score of 6-1 to Princeton at Messa Rink (17-6-4, 13-3-2).
Leading 1-0 off of Beck's mark, the Dutchwomen almost went up 2-0 when
Dale Chaput (Burlington, ONT) split two defenders at the blue line and attacked the net. However, Princeton's Roxanne Gaudiel was up the challenge, trapping Chaput's shot at the bottom of the right post.
The Tigers would draw even at 1-1 when Annie Greenwood deposited the puck off a rebound on Heather Jackson's shot at 6:43. Following the goal, Christine Foster won the face off and fed Katherine Dineen ahead for a second tally just seven seconds apart.
Princeton led 2-1 after the first period, but Union goaltender
Dana Smullyan (Salisbury, CT) also made a few highlight-worthy saves of her own to keep the Dutchwomen afloat late in the period. The senior turned away a backhander by Katherine Dineen on the breakaway with 2:16 remaining, and then made a fantastic, diving save to stop a redirect off the stick of Kim Pearce just before the horn sounded to end the period.
The Tigers continued the steady attack in the middle period, tacking on two more goals to take a 4-1 advantage into the final twenty minutes. Greenwood tallied her second mark of the day just thirty-three seconds in on a power play goal and Jackson upped it to the 3-goal advantage at 11:48. Union came up empty handed on four power plays during the period, including 1:26 spent on a 5-on-3 opportunity.
Brittany Salmon and Marykate Oakley each notched goals for Princeton, the aforementioned on the power play, in the final period. Princeton finished 2-for-5 with 12 shots on man-up opportunities. The Dutchwomen went 0-for-4 for the game and managed just 4 shots on the advantage. Total shots favored the Tigers, 55-19.
Gaudiel finished with 18 saves in net, helping the visitors stay within two points of ECACHL-leading St. Lawrence. Smullyan, who along with classmates
Kate Gustafson (Kenora, ONT) and
Meg Lloyd (Plymouth, MA) made her final home appearance before graduating, was credited with 49 saves between the pipes for Union.
The Dutchwomen are pegged to wrap up the regular season with a weekend double-header at Colgate next Friday, at 7:00 p.m.
