Ravens close out season with weekend pair at Sacred Heart

MANCHESTER, N.H. (February 11, 2014) – Sophomore forward Francesca Paciello (Clinton, N.Y.) scored a goal late in the first period on Tuesday night, but it was the only goal of the game for the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team, which dropped a 3-1 decision to Saint Anselm on the road at Sullivan Arena. Sophomore forward Alex Kazmer had a goal and an assist in the win for Saint Anselm.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 17-4-1 and has lost back-to-back games for the first time in over a year, while Saint Anselm improves to 20-3-0 (12-2-0 ECAC East). Saint Anselm held a 29-14 edge in shots in the game.

Saint Anselm opened the scoring just shy of the midway point of the first period on Tuesday night, as Kazmer finished off her 11th goal of the season at the left post at the 8:56 mark. Freshman forward Alison Quinn and sophomore defenseman Jessica Galiczewski had the assists on the play.

The Hawks made it 2-0 at the 15:07 mark, on the 10th of the campaign from freshman forward Alexandra Starsyk. With the Ravens trying to clear their own zone, Starsyk forced a turnover and took control near the top of the right-wing circle. From there, she cut into the slot and beat freshman goaltender Shannon O'Neil (Tewksbury, Mass.) with a wrist shot to the top-left corner.

The Ravens got on the board just over three minutes after the Starsyk goal on a quick rush up the ice. On the left-wing side of the neutral zone, senior forward Jamie Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) sent a pass ahead to spring sophomore forward Bryana Harron (Woburn, Mass.) into the offensive end. Harron pushed the tempo into the left-wing circle and dropped the puck back into the slot for Paciello, who notched her fifth goal of the year from there after she beat Saint Anselm freshman goaltender Hannah Synnott with a snap shot.

Sophomore forward Karsyn Baker (Detroit, Mich.) nearly tied the game up with Franklin Pierce on the power play early in the second period. She forced a turnover in the neutral zone and chipped the puck around a defender off the left-wing boards to spring herself into the attack zone. From the left circle on the charge, she snapped a shot which beat Synnott cleanly, but then clanged off the crossbar to leave the game stuck on 2-1.

Instead, the second period went scoreless and Franklin Pierce was still within a goal as the third stanza hit its midpoint. Shortly after the 10-minute mark, there was a collision in front of the Franklin Pierce bench, which was incensed by the lack of a call on the play and picked up a bench minor while protesting the decision. Saint Anselm was able to capitalize on the ensuing power play to take a 3-1 lead and effectively put the game on ice. With the puck near the left point, senior defenseman Andi Foss cycled it to Kazmer down low behind the net. Kazmer found a passing lane on the left-wing side of the cage and slipped the puck into the slot for sophomore forward Sarah Geisinger, who one-timed her seventh of the season to the back of the net to create the 3-1 final.

O'Neil finished with 26 saves on the night and suffered her first collegiate loss (9-1-0) in net for Franklin Pierce. Meanwhile, Synnott picked up 13 saves to tally the win (11-0-0) in front of the Saint Anselm goal.

The Ravens return to the ice on Friday, Feb. 14, when they travel to Sacred Heart for the first half of a two-game, season-ending series. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport, Conn.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce women's ice hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).