WINCHENDON, Mass. (January 18, 2019) – A three-goal hole in the first period was too much for the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team to climb out of on Friday night at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Saint Anselm struck just 29 seconds into the game, and would add on two more before the period was through, on the way to a 3-1 victory over the Hawks in New England Women's Hockey Alliance play. Senior forward Caley Mueller had a goal and an assist to lead the way for the Hawks.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 12-8-0 (4-6-0 NEWHA), while Saint Anselm improves to 14-2-1 (9-0-1 NEWHA).

Saint Anselm needed just 29 seconds to get things started on Friday night, as the Hawks scored on the game's initial shift. Just inside the offensive blue line, sophomore forward Jayden Young worked to poke the puck free for junior forward Amanda Conger. Conger curled into the high slot and took a shot, which was turned aside by Franklin Pierce freshman goaltender Emme Ostrander (Westborough, Mass.). However, Mueller was at the left post to bang home the rebound for her eighth goal of the campaign.

The Hawks would then strike twice in the second half of the opening stanza. The game's second goal came at the 12:41 mark, on the power play. From the middle of the blue line, sophomore defenseman Gabby Monaco sent the puck into the right circle for freshman forward Erin Meyers. Meyers then feathered a pass across the slot to sophomore forward Katy Meehan, who finished off her 11^th of the campaign from the left circle.

Another rebound goal, at 16:52, made it 3-0 before the intermission. Young helped dig the puck out in the left-wing corner and sent it to Mueller, who took a shot while cutting towards the slot. Mueller's shot was saved, but sophomore forward Mary Lambert cashed in the rebound from the bottom of the left circle for her first goal of the season.

Franklin Pierce struck for its only goal of the game in the waning minutes of the contest. It was a power-play tally at 19:24 of the third, with the goaltender pulled in favor of an extra attacker. Sophomore forward Nicole Amato (Billerica, Mass.) took a shot from the top of the right circle, which went wide and was tracked down by sophomore forward Haley Parker (Londonderry, N.H.) on the left side. Parker fed junior defenseman Bridgette Prentiss (Buffalo, N.Y.) at the middle of the blue line, and Prentiss' shot from the high slot found its way through traffic and into the net for her sixth goal of the year.

Ostrander (7-4-0) finished with 33 saves against 36 shots in the loss for Franklin Pierce. Junior goaltender Michaela Kane (6-0-0) stopped 12 of 13 shots to pick up the win at the other end for Saint Anselm.

The Ravens return to the ice on Saturday, Jan. 19, when they travel to Salve Regina for a non-conference contest. Opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m. at St. George's School Ice Rink in Middletown, R.I. 

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (https://www.fpuravens.com). 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 hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (https://www.fpuravens.com/store).