WINCHENDON, Mass. (October 16, 2021) -- The fourth time was the charm for the Franklin Pierce University women's hockey team in 2021-22. After dropping their first three games, the Ravens got into the win column in style on Saturday afternoon, as they scored twice in the first and never looked back, on the way to a 4-0 win over Hockey East opponent Holy Cross. Junior Ava Kison (Eau Claire, Wis.) had a highlight-reel penalty-shot goal and added an assist as well to lead the way for Franklin Pierce in its home opener, while sophomore Suzette Faucher (Middleton, Wis.) stopped all 41 shots on her goal to post her first career shutout.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 1-3-0, while Holy Cross falls to 1-5-0.

Franklin Pierce got the party started early on Saturday, as freshman Lucy Hanson (Medina, Minn.) chalked up her first collegiate goal just 6:41 into the proceedings. Kison gained possession in the high slot and sent the puck out to the left point for junior Bethany Ross (Canton, Mich.). Ross teed one up from there and Hanson was able to deflect it en route to open the scoring.

As the first period hit one minute remaining, there was a scramble in front of the Holy Cross net. Ultimately, junior Kailey Langefels was whistled for delay of game, as she covered the puck in the crease, which resulted in a penalty shot for Franklin Pierce. Kison took the penalty shot, made a right-to-left move across the goal mouth and roofed her shot past a helpless Jada Brenon, the senior Holy Cross netminder.

The Ravens cashed in one in the second and one in the third to pad the lead out to the 4-0 final. In the second, sophomore Jenna Ruiz (Webster, Wis.) knocked the puck ahead to start a 2-on-1 into the offensive end. With the puck on the right side, junior Katelyn Brightbill (Silver Spring, Md.) snapped a shot, which was turned aside by Brenon, but sophomore Emilie Prive (Morrisville, Vt.) crashed the net and cleaned up the rebound at the left post to notch her first goal of the year, at 1:12.

The capper came at 7:56 of the third, after sophomore Brooke Remington (Scandia, Minn.) forced a turnover in the neutral zone. Remington sprung junior Becca Kniss (Eden Prairie, Minn.) in on a partial breakaway on the right side. Kniss made a move to draw out Brenon, then deftly deked around her on the right side and walked the puck into the now-vacant net for her first of the campaign.

Faucher (1-1-0) starred in the Franklin Pierce crease for the second straight Saturday, as she notched her second consecutive 41-save performance. She turned aside all 41 shots she faced, including 17 in a third period where the Ravens were outshot 17-4, to pick up her first collegiate shutout. Faucher has now stopped 82 of 83 shots she has faced on the young season.

At the other end of the ice, Brenon (1-4-0) was beaten four times on 24 shots and finished with 20 saves in defeat.

The Ravens have only one game on the schedule next weekend, as they travel to Post for a non-conference game on Friday, Oct. 22. Puck drop is set for 4 p.m. at Sports Center of Connecticut in Shelton, Conn.