ITHACA, N.Y. – Tenth-ranked Cornell University scored the first seven goals of the game in rolling to a 7-2 victory over the Union College women's hockey team in ECAC Hockey action on Friday night at Lynah Rink.
 
Senior Carmen Merlo and sophomore Paige Greco scored the goals for Union (10-10-1, 3-6-1 ECAC Hockey), which outscored the Big Red 2-1 in the third period. Sophomores Maddie Suitor and Emma Hebert recorded assists as well for the visitors.
 
Avi Adam picked up a hat trick to lead Cornell (8-5-2, 6-2-1 ECAC Hockey), while Gillis Frechette and Grace Dwyer added a goal and two assists apiece to tie for the team lead in scoring.
 
Dwyer and Izzy Daniel scored in the opening frame to give Cornell a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes, as the Big Red posted a 14-4 edge in shots. The lead ballooned to six after a second frame in which the home team scored four times with a 15-4 shot advantage to put the game away.
 
Union played well in the third period after Avi completed her hat trick in the opening minute, scoring the final two goals of the game. Greco got Union on the board with an unassisted tally at the 3:44 mark, stealing the puck in the slot and burying her own rebound for her third of the year. Merlo potted her second of the season in the waning seconds, when the rebound of a Hebert shot caromed off her skate and in with four ticks on the clock.
 
Union finished the game on the wrong side of a 36-14 shot disparity. Sophomore Sophie Matsoukas allowed five goals on 21 shots in 28:46 of action, while first-year Emily Evans came on in relief to stop 13-of-15 shots the rest of the way.
 
Union will return to the ice tomorrow against another nationally ranked foe, taking on #6 Colgate University beginning at 3 p.m. in Hamilton.