SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – First-year
Natalie Andelova powered the Garnet Chargers' offense, scoring her first collegiate goal while junior
Monja Wagner made 28 saves to lead the Union College women's hockey team to a 1-1 tie with the University of New Hampshire on Friday night at M&T Bank Center.
The game took place in front of a record-breaking crowd of 1,044 fans, marking the highest attendance in Union Women's Hockey history. The game also served as President Elizabeth Kiss' Inauguration Game and was part of Union's Homecoming and Family Weekend celebrations.
New Hampshire struck first just three minutes into the opening period when Kelly Harty buried a rebound off an initial shot by Sydney Leonard. The Wildcats carried the offensive momentum through the frame, outshooting Union 10 to five, but Wagner made several key saves to keep the deficit at one heading into the intermission.
Union picked up the pace in the second period, nearly evening the shot count at 12–10 in favor of UNH and each team earned a power play opportunity. The Garnet Chargers generated quality chances late in the frame, as first-year
Megan Duplantie rang a shot off the post with six minutes left, and junior
Maddie Leaney broke free on a breakaway with three minutes remaining but could not convert.
In the third period, Union outshot the Wildcats 12 to six and capitalized on a late power play to even the score. After receiving a pass from junior
Quinn Dunkle, Andelova wheeled around in the bottom of the right circle and fired a shot inside the left post to tie the game at one with just over six minutes remaining in regulation.
The Garnet Chargers continued to press in overtime, generating five shots to UNH's three, but neither side could find the game-winner. Union went on to defeat New Hampshire 2-1 in a five-round shootout, but the result will go down in the history books as a tie.
With the tie, Union improves to 3-0-2 on the season, marking the third five-game unbeaten streak in Division I program history.
The Garnet Chargers wrap up the two-game series against New Hampshire tomorrow afternoon, with puck drop scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at M&T Bank Center.
