ITHACA, N.Y. - Junior Karianne Engelbert tied the program Division I single-game record with five points and senior Maddie Leaney scored the overtime game-winner with four seconds left as the Union College women's hockey team delivered a thrilling 5-4 (OT) comeback victory over No. 12/13 Cornell University on Friday afternoon at Lynah Rink.
Engelbert played a role in all five goals for Union (6-3-0, 1-2-0 ECAC Hockey), becoming the first player in the program's Division I history to score a hat trick as part of a five-point game and the first to record five points against a nationally ranked opponent. Leaney and sophomore
Megan Duplantie had a goal and an assist each as well for the visitors, while senior
Quinn Dunkle added a pair of helpers. Senior goaltender
Monja Wagner also came up big between the pipes, finishing with 28 saves to help the Chargers complete the comeback and take down the Big Red for the third straight season.
After battling back from an early 2-0 deficit, Union outscored Cornell (3-2-0, 0-1-0 ECAC Hockey) 2-1 in each of the final two frames before scoring the game-winner late in overtime. After Engelbert forced a turnover in the offensive zone, her shot from the right side deflected perfectly to Leaney at the inside of the circle for a one-timer into an empty net with just four seconds remaining to secure the victory.
Cornell opened the scoring at the 3:14 mark of the first period, as Delaney Fleming found the back of the net. The Big Red doubled their lead at 8:07 when Piper Grober added another goal to make it 2-0. Despite the early deficit, the Garnet Chargers continued to battle, with Wagner turning aside seven shots in the opening frame to keep Union within reach. The teams headed into the first intermission with Cornell holding a 2-0 advantage.
After a difficult opening period, Union responded with a much stronger second, out shooting Cornell 13-8. The Garnet Chargers got on the board at 7:11 when Engelbert scored on the power play for her third power-play goal of the season and 17th of her career. Dunkle and Duplantie picked up the assists. Cornell answered at 12:33 with a power-play goal from Rose Dwyer, but Union quickly responded. Just 1:51 later, Duplantie found the back of the net on another Union power play, hammering home the rebound of an Engelbert shot. The goal marked the beginning of a multi-point afternoon for all three Chargers. Union went a perfect 2-for-2 on the power play in the second period, using a strong offensive push to cut Cornell's lead to 3-2 heading into the third.
The Garnet Chargers carried that momentum into the third period, as Engelbert continued to lead the offensive charge. At 5:09, she found the back of the net off assists from Leaney and Dunkle to even the score at 3-3. Cornell regained the lead at 12:56 on a goal from Lindzi Avar, but Engelbert had one more answer. At 13:34, she completed her hat trick, scoring her third goal of the afternoon off assists from junior Jill Willis and junior Peyton O'Neill to tie the game at 4-4 and send the contest into overtime
In overtime, Leaney came through delivering another unforgettable overtime moment. It was a familiar finish for the senior, who also scored the overtime winner against Cornell last season on November 21, when the Garnet Chargers defeated the then-#4/5 Big Red.
The Garnet Chargers return to action tomorrow for a Halloween afternoon matchup against another nationally ranked opponent, #8 Colgate University. Union heads to Class of 1965 Arena in Hamilton, N.Y., for a 3 p.m. puck drop as the team looks to carry its momentum into another ECAC Hockey matchup.
