Early Hole Proves Too Deep; Women’s Ice Hockey’s Comeback Comes up Short at Massachusetts Boston, 4-2

Ravens pull within a goal in third

BOSTON, Mass. (January 16, 2013) – Freshmen forwards Colleen Doucette (Wakefield, Mass.) and Michaela Faia (Malden, Mass.) had a goal and an assist each on Wednesday afternoon as the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team attempted to mount a third-period comeback which ultimately fell short, resulting in a 4-2 loss to Massachusetts Boston at Clark Athletic Center Ice Arena. Senior forward Emily LaRosa bookended the game's scoring to finish with a pair of goals in the victory for Boston.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 4-10-0, while Massachusetts Boston improves to 6-9-1 (3-5-1 ECAC East).

Massachusetts Boston struck three times in the opening stanza to build up a 3-0 lead. The opening salvo came at the 7:07 mark, as LaRosa put away her fifth of the season off an assist from sophomore forward Emily Howard. At 15:06, Howard would get on the board herself with her fifth of the season, after the Ravens defense failed to clean up the rebound of a shot by senior forward Alli Greenberg after junior goaltender Amelea Gray (Bozeman, Mont.) made the initial save. Sophomore forward Kayla Kiernan also notched her fifth of the year, unassisted at 18:44, as she generated a breakaway off a neutral-zone turnover. Gray nearly made the save after Kiernan deked towards the right post, but Gray's momentum from her cross-crease slide carried her into the net with the puck trapped under her pads.

After the second period went without a goal, Franklin Pierce found its offense in the third period. On the power play at the 4:47 mark, Doucette sent the puck to the left point to freshman defenseman Michelle Stock (Austin, Texas), who sent it towards the net. The shot was deflected by the Beacons' defense, but fell to the stick of Faia at the bottom of the right-wing circle. Faia backhanded it to the back of the net for her seventh goal of the campaign.

Doucette got her team-leading ninth of the season at the 11:18 mark to pull the Ravens within a goal at 3-2. Faia and freshman forward Karsyn Baker (Detroit, Mich.) were working to control a loose puck to the left-wing side of the goal when they teamed to get it into the slot, where Doucette was waiting. Doucette beat a defenseman to the puck and beat the goaltender inside the left post.

The comeback would be stopped there however, as the Beacons got a much-needed insurance marker a shade over five minutes later, with 3:15 to play in regulation. A breakout pass by Greenberg sprung LaRosa on a partial breakaway through the neutral zone. Greenberg fought off the pursuing Franklin Pierce defense until she got to the hashmarks, then snapped a shot past Gray to create the 4-2 final.

Gray made 28 saves on the night and took the loss (4-9-0) in net for Franklin Pierce. Freshman Casey Schaejbe stopped 21 shots to pick up the win (2-7-1) between the pipes for Massachusetts Boston.

The Ravens return to the ice on Tuesday, Jan. 22, when they travel to Nichols. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. at Levy Rink in Burrillville, R.I. The Ravens next play at home on Friday, Feb. 15 against Sacred Heart at 7 p.m.

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).