NEW HAVEN, CT - Senior captains Meredith Killian and Emily King connected for a historic goal in the second period of Union's 5-2 loss to #14 Yale in the Opening Round of the 2024 ECAC Women's Hockey Championship on Saturday, as the Garnet Chargers wrapped a season that concluded a campaign that saw a number of changes to the Union record book and milestones achieved.
 
With just over two minutes remaining in the second period and Union on the power play, King set up on the bottom of the circle to the left of Yale's net. King sent a pass to the middle, which junior Ashley Adams deflected off Bulldogs goaltender Pia Dukaric, and Killian came down the slot to finish home the rebound for the first goal in Union's Division I postseason history.
 
With the assist, King set the new program record for all-time helpers with the 38th of her illustrious Union career. King finishes her Union career with 58 points, good for fourth most in program history and second-most in the Division I era.
 
Yale dominated offensively from the opening faceoff, registering 18 shots on goal on 25 total attempts in the opening period. Anna Bargman broke the scoreless time on an abbreviated Yale power play 8:39 into the contest before Naomi Boucher doubled the lead with 2:48 remaining in the first to send the hosts into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.
 
The Bulldogs wasted no time adding to their lead into the second, as Naomi Boucher found the back of the net for her fourth of the season two and a half minutes into the frame. Bargman's second of the afternoon just under seven minutes later gave the hosts a four goal lead.
 
Killian's goal put Union on the board after going into their 4-0 hole, and the netfinder from the leader pulled her team back into battle.
 
With 13:40 remaining in the third, Killian sent a shot on net from the point with first-year Maddie Leaney and Emily King in front of Dukaric looking for a deflection. Neither would be able to find the puck on its way to the net, but Leaney would be spot on the rebound off Dukaric's right pad to bring the Garnet Chargers back within a pair.
 
Union continued their strong play down the stretch, with their 11 shots on goal in the final period their most in any 20 minute increment in the game, but Elle Hartje's goal in the final minutes ended Union's comeback hosts and punched the Bulldogs ticket to the quarterfinals.
 
Killian's two points would register the senior's first multipoint game of her 102 game Union career. Leaney's goal made it 12 in the rookie season for the first-year, tops on the team, while her 19 points were second.
 
The defeat wraps a historic season for the Garnet Chargers that saw them participate in the postseason for the first time in their Division I history. Sophomore Riley Walsh set the program's single Division I season points record (27) while becoming the first player in Union's Division I era to record multiple 20-point seasons, and junior Sophie Matsoukas set the program's new all-time wins record (21) while surpassing the 2,000 career saves mark, becoming just the third Union goaltender to ever do so.