CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The Union College women's hockey team broke their previous conference win record of five, earning their sixth conference victory in a 3-2 overtime win Saturday afternoon at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center.
Sophomore Emma Fulawka opened the scoring for the Garnet Chargers while first-year Jill Willis added a goal. Junior Stephanie Bourque netted the game winning goal in overtime. Sophomore Mikayla Blomquist and seniors Maya Jones, Emma Hebert, and Paige Greco tallied an assist.
The Garnet Chargers dominated much of the first period, with three power play opportunities and edging a 11 to 8 shot count, but Harvard played a strong defensive game to keep the game scoreless through the first frame of action.
Despite Union continuing to dominate the second period, firing six shots and controlling much of the face off circles in the first eight minutes, Harvard lit the lamp for the first goal of the game on the power play.
After a shot attempt by Ella Lucia deflected off of traffic in front of the net, Ellie Bayard picked up the puck, wheeled around and backhanded it into the net.
However, the Garnet Chargers got one back just 1:10 later. Blomquist fired a shot from the top of the slot into traffic. The puck deflected off of Jones to Fulawka who put the rebound home.
Willis netted her goal just 6:30 later. After Hebert whacked the puck out of Harvard's possession and up to Willis, Willis skated in, and sent the puck into top right side of the net.
Union ended the middle frame with an additional power play opportunity but did not convert.
In the first 17 minutes of the third period, both teams had nearly identical chances, with Harvard holding a slight five to four edge in shots. Each team also won five face offs, and there was a two-minute stretch of four-on-four play. Neither team was able to convert until Harvard scored with 3:03 left in regulation to tie the game. Keira Ley fired a shot into traffic, and Emily Hamann was able to tip the puck into the net, sending the game to overtime.
Nearly two minutes into overtime, Greco won the face off back to Bourque, who collected the puck, deked past Harvard's defenders, skated in, and fired a shot into the top left corner of the net.
Senior goaltender Sophie Matsoukas delivered an outstanding performance making 18 key saves in net to help secure the win for the Garnet Chargers.
Union is back in action as they face the RPI Engineers in a conference match up on Friday night at Messa Rink at 6:00 pm, before taking on the Engineers again in the annual Capitol District Mayor's Cup on Saturday afternoon at MVP Arena. Puck drop is set for 3:00 pm.
