DURHAM, N.H. – For the second straight year in a row the Union College women's hockey team opened the season with a win. First-year Riley Walsh chipped in with two goals including her first collegiate goal, and senior Emily King added the game winner in the second period, as Union hung on for a 3-2 victory over the University of New Hampshire on Friday evening from the Whittemore Center. This was Union's first ever victory over the Wildcats.

Walsh had an excellent collegiate debut for the garnet and white. The first-year scored her first collegiate goal on the power-play and added her second goal of the season short-handed. She is the first Union women's hockey player to score two goals in a game since Grace Heiting '22 last season against Princeton on November 6, 2021, and the first to have both a power-play and shorthanded goal in the same game since Suzy Pocock '09 had a power-play goal and two shorties at Sacred Heart on November 3, 2006.

King added the eventual game winner and an assist for a two-point night. First-year Amanda Quan tallied her first collegiate point with an assist on Walsh's first goal. Six players made their collegiate debuts for Union on Friday.

The Dutchwomen opened the scoring at the 8:56 mark of the first period while on the power play. Quan gathered a missed shot from the end boards and sent a wrap around attempt in front, and Walsh made sure to bury the shot into the open goal. Quan and King were both credited with assists.

New Hampshire answered back in the final minute of the first period with a power-play goal of their own, tying the score at 1-1. Union out shot UNH 10-7 in the period and each team tallied on the player advantage.

The Dutchwomen regained the lead in the second period, when Walsh deked the UNH net minder and tucked the puck into the back of the net on the breakaway. This goal came short-handed at the 6:24 mark of the second period and was unassisted. Just 74 seconds later Union extended their lead to 3-1 when King found the back of the net on a partial breakaway. King picked up a loose puck at center ice and was able to get inside of the Wildcat defender and with some help from the post, extended the Union lead. This goal was unassisted and became the eventual game winner. Union out shot UNH 16-14 in the period.

The Wildcats would not go away however. Just 2:29 into the third period the Wildcats found the back of the net on the player advantage once again, cutting the Union lead in half. UNH kept up the pressure, but was unable to find the back of the net as sophomore Sophie Matsoukas made timely saves in the final frame to preserve the win for Union.

Shots finished 35-35 for the game and Matsoukas stopped 33 or 35 to earn her first win of the season. Union went 1-7 on the power-play and 3-5 on the penalty kill. Quan won 7-12 faceoffs in her season debut.

Union (1-0-0) will get back on the ice tomorrow in Durham for game two of the weekend series with the Wildcats. Puck drop from the Whittemore Center is set for 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 24.