BOX SCORE
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Union College women's ice hockey team earned a split of the weekend series against Syracuse University, falling 5-3 on Saturday at the Tennity Ice Pavilion. Facing a three-goal deficit entering the third period, Syracuse responded with its highest third period goal total in program history with five in the final 20 minutes. The Orange are now 3-6-0, while the Dutchwomen move to 2-5-0.
The Orange received multi-point nights from four skaters, with sophomore defensemen Christina LaCombe and Caitlin Roach each scoring their first collegiate goals. For the Dutchwomen, senior forward Emilie Arseneault tallied two goals and an assist for a three point night, while senior Lauren Cromartie record her first goal of the season and an assist.
Despite a dominating 38-13 shot advantage and 39-18 faceoff edge by the Orange, Union rivaled SU throughout the contest. Junior goaltender Alana Marcinko backstopped Union during the first two periods, finishing the game with 32 saves.
After a scoreless first period, the Dutchwomen scored three goals in 104 seconds in the second frame. The first came with Union on the power play, as Arseneault took a pass from junior Rhianna Kurio and beat SU goaltender Kallie Billadeau (10 saves). Union extended the lead to two just 48 seconds later on senior Lauren Cromartie 's shot, with assists from Arseneault and senior Dania Simmonds.
A minute later, Arseneault made it 3-0 on a shot from just inside the blueline that seemed to fool Billadeau before ending up in the back of the net. Cromartie and senior Chelsey Heinhuis received assists.
The Orange came out of the second intermission looking to cut into the Union lead. Kaillie Goodnough did just that with a goal less than two minutes into the final frame. Goodnough showed patience with the puck after taking a pass from Casey Hirsch, and skated around a Dutchwoman defender before throwing a low shot through Marcinko for her second goal of the season.
SU began a spree of four goals in four minutes with 4:22 left in regulation when Allie LaCombe scored her third goal of the weekend on rebound following a shot from Hirsch. LaCombe's cousin, Christina, got into the action with 2:39 left in the third for her first collegiate tally with the Orange on the power play.
LaCombe, who had hit the crossbar earlier in the period, took a pass from co-captain Megan Skelly at the point. She fired a shot through traffic that beat Marcinko to knot the score at three.
With less than one minute left in regulation, SU took its first lead of the game when Roach blasted a shot from above the left faceoff dot that went past Marcinko and put Syracuse up 4-3. The Dutchwomen pulled Marcinko in favor of the extra skater, but Margot Scharfe was able to bank an empty net goal with 22 seconds left.
The Dutchwomen are set to return to Schenectady to kick off a four-game home stand. Union takes on Princeton on Friday, October 28th, at 3:00 p.m. and Quinnipiac on Saturday, October 29th, at 3:00 p.m.
