SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Union women's hockey battled fiercely in a 2-1 loss to #4 Cornell, before celebrating Senior Day. Seven members of the Class of 2025 were honored after the game, including senior captain Maren Friday, who was also named the recipient of the Mandy Schwartz Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.
Seniors Friday, Emma Hebert, Sophie Matsoukas, Paige Greco, Maddie Suitor, Ashley Adams, and Maya Jones were honored in their final home game at Union.
With the loss, Union (12-19-1) remains in ninth place in the ECAC conference standings. The Garnet Chargers sit one point ahead of RPI (13-16-2) and six and half points behind Brown (14-10-3).
Sophomore Maddie Leaney netted the lone goal for the Garnet Chargers and her sixth of the season. Junior Stephanie Bourque and senior Paige Greco were credited with the assists.
Cornell applied early offensive pressure in the first 12 minutes, registering six shots on goal. Union had a chance to respond with a power play opportunity at 8:59 and generated solid looks on net, but did not capitalize.
The Big Red continued their attack in the final seven minutes of the period, adding another six shots, including a near miss off the pipe. Despite the pressure, both teams went into the intermission scoreless, with Cornell outshooting Union 12-6.
In the second period, Union came out with increased offensive pressure, earning a Grade A chance just 90 seconds in. Four minutes later, the Garnet Chargers capitalized on the momentum with a power play goal.
Greco fired a shot off a pass from Bourque, sending the puck to net-front traffic. Leaney was there to retrieve the rebound, burying it into the left corner of the net.
Union kept the pressure on, generating two more Grade A chances within two minutes of each other. Union finished the period with a 15-8 edge in shots over Cornell.
In the third period, both teams continued to generate offensive chances with Cornell edging shots 7-5. The Big Red scored the game equalizer 6:55 left to go in the period. Gabbie Rud passed the puck up to Mckenna Van Gelder who skated in from the left side, deked Union's goaltender, and planted the puck into the right side of the net.
Cornell netted the game winner just 51 seconds later. Prefontaine picked up a loose puck, skated in, and fired the puck into the right corner of the net.
Union pulled Matsoukas with 1:44 to go in the period, searching for the equalizer, but were unsuccessful. Matsoukas finished the game with 25 saves.
Union wraps up the 2024-25 regular season on the road against ECAC foes #12 Princeton University and #9 Quinnipiac University. Puck drop is set for 6:00 pm against the Tigers at Hobey Baker Arena on Friday night and Saturday against the Bobcats at M&T Bank Arena at 3:00 pm.
