SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - The Union College women's ice hockey team battled the #8 St. Cloud State University Huskies to a 2-2 draw on Friday night at Messa Rink with the Garnet Chargers securing the win in a shoot out, 2-1.
Sophomore Mikayla Blomquist and senior Paige Greco each scored once while sophomore Emma Fulawka tallied an assist for the second consecutive game straight. First year Karianne Engelbert and sophomore Quinn Dunkle also registered assists.
Union kicked off the game with offensive pressure scoring 3:42 into the first period. After a scrum along the boards, Fulawka kicked the puck to Blomquist who skated the puck from below the goal line to the bottom of the left circle and fired a shot short side high into the net.
The Huskies soon found their spark, outshooting the Garnet Chargers eight to four for the remainder of the period but could not find the back of the net.
In the second period, St. Cloud dominated the majority of the period outshooting Union 11-3. However, shortly after killing off a penalty, the Garnet Chargers turned their defense into offense and netted their second goal of the evening. Dunkle retrieved a loose puck in the center of the slot and slid it to Engelbert along the boards. Engelbert fired a pass to Greco, who was positioned in the slot, and Greco one-timed the puck into the right side of the net.
In the third frame, the Huskies quickly cut the game in half netting their first goal of the night nearly six minutes in. Avery Farrell sent a pass from the far left hash marks to Ella Anick, located at the bottom of the right circle. Anick, then, sent the puck into the top left corner of the net.
Six minutes later, St. Cloud tied the game. Farrell passed the puck from behind the right goal line to Ally Qualley, who was positioned at the top of the crease. Qualley fired a shot into the top left corner of the net.
The Huskies had three more shots to Union's one to round out the period, but a strong defensive game played by Union and key saves made by sophomore Monja Wagner, kept the game tied and sent it to overtime.
In overtime, the Garnet Chargers spent two-fifths of the period on the penalty kill and Wagner made three clutch saves to send the game to a shootout.
The shootout went nine rounds with Union capitalizing on the first penalty shot while the Huskies answered on their second attempt, leveling the shootout at one apiece. The next 12 attempts were denied by the goaltenders before senior Maya Jones broke the stalemate netting the Garnet Chargers second successful shot attempt. St. Cloud did not respond on their following effort, allowing Union to secure the 2-1 shoot out victory.
Wagner played an outstanding game, making 31 saves helping the Garnet Chargers tie the #8 Huskies on Friday night.
Women's hockey is back in action Saturday afternoon to wrap up the non-conference weekend series against St. Cloud. Puck drop is set for 2:00 pm.
