BOX SCORE

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - After nearly a four week absence from Messa Rink, the Union College women's ice hockey team fell 9-1 to No. 3 Cornell University on Friday in their first game of 2012. Freshman Monika Leck earned the game winner, scoring less than ten minutes into the first period to give the Big Red the advantage. The Dutchwomen are now 3-15-2 overall with a 1-7-1 mark in the ECAC, while Cornell sits at 11-2 and 7-1.

Leck's goal, assisted by senior Kendice Ogilvie and senior Erin Barley-Maloney, came at the 10:40 mark in the opening frame, slipping past freshman goaltender Shenae Lundberg to find the back of the net. It was the rookie's fourth of the season.

Cornell struck first, scoring only 52 seconds into the game. After a battle in the corner for possession, Ogilvie received a centering pass from Barley-Maloney. The Alberta native buried the puck five hole from a shot five feet back from Lundberg for her first goal of the season. Minutes later, the Big Red would go on to extend their lead 2-0 off of Leck's shot.

The Dutchwomen began to rally as they forced the puck into Cornell's defensive zone after the faceoff. Senior Lauren Cromartie, junior Rhianna Kurio and senior Dania Simmonds fired consecutive shots at netminder Lauren Slebodnick. However, the sophomore remained solid. Union was able to keep the advantage as they went on the powerplay at the 9:23 mark. Senior Chelsey Heinhuis sent a shot wide from the top corner towards Lauren Hoffman, but the senior was unable to deflect the puck in.

As time dwindled, Lundberg was forced to make four quick saves in a row to hold the Big Red at two goals. With 16 seconds remaining, sophomore Stefanie Thomson was able to draw a slashing penalty to put the Dutchwomen back on the powerplay.

With pressure back on Slebodnick, Kurio fired an initial shot that was sent wide. The netminder was forced out of position, and freshman Bryanne Panchuk took advantage of the chaos by sending the puck back to center. Kurio was there waiting, and she easily sent a shot into the top right corner of the net to make the game 2-1 with three seconds left on the clock.

Despite the momentum surge for the Dutchwomen, Cornell would again strike early as the second period began. Freshman Emily Fulton maneuvered her way to Lundberg's left, shooting the puck between the netminder's shoulder and the goal post at the 17:01 mark. Ogilvie, who would end her night with five points, received the assist.

Just 33 seconds later, Barley-Maloney made the game 4-1 as she found herself directly in front of Lundberg. The senior, assisted by senior Rebecca Johnston, had four points throughout the night.

Junior Alana Marcinko moved into net and was quickly tested as the Dutchwomen went on the penalty kill. The goaltender made back-to-back saves on Leck and Ogilvie, despite being screened. Her biggest save came on Johnston as the powerplay for the Big Red came to an end. Johnston angled a shot between Marcinko and the goal line, but Marcinko swung her left leg around to hold the puck in place until the whistle was blown.

Cornell defenseman Laura Fortino would finally put one past Marcinko, however, just minutes later. The junior received a feed from Jenner after the sophomore failed to capitalize on a scoring opportunity of her own. The game now sat at 5-1.

Union's defense perked up with sophomore Maddy Norton and Simmonds blocking shots to hold off Cornell's offense. Regardless, Marcinko still saw 22 shots in the second period alone. The junior made back-to-back skate saves on Johnston and junior Xandra Hompe before the Dutchwomen had one final rush for a scoring opportunity. With the frame coming to an end, Simmonds blasted a shot from the top corner, but it was blocked and sent wide.

Union had the first scoring chance of the final period, with Kurio feeding to Cromartie directly in front of Slebodnick. The goaltender made the save, and junior Jeannie Sabourin was unable to acquire the rebound. Cromartie was able to take another shot at the 16:12 mark, but Slebodnick was unyielding.

Hompe and Leck scored within two minutes of each other to extend Cornell's lead to 7-1. Both goals resulted in multiple bodies screening Marcinko, forcing her to lose sight of the puck.

At 10:39, the Big Red scored a powerplay goal as Barley-Maloney was set up by Johnston. Hompe, assisted by Johnston and junior Lauriane Rougeau, would go on to score Cornell's final goal with less than five minutes left to play, ending the game at 9-1. The Dutchwomen were outshot 51-19.

Union returns to the ice tomorrow, January 7th, at 3:00 p.m. to take on Colgate in an ECAC contest.