Ravens finish with program-record 20 wins

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (March 1, 2015) – Freshman forward Alex Brolsma (Bloomington, Minn.) struck for a first-period goal on Sunday afternoon, but four unanswered goals thereafter spelled defeat for the top seeded Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team, 4-1, at the hands of third seeded Holy Cross in the championship game of the ECAC Open Tournament, hosted by Saint Michael's at Cairns Arena. Freshman forward Kara Violette had three points on a goal and two assists in the win for Holy Cross.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce concludes its season at 20-6-1 -- a new program record for wins -- while Holy Cross finishes at 18-7-3. At the conclusion of play, Brolsma and junior defenseman Sarah Sheils (Pittsburgh, Pa.) were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Brolsma opened the scoring on Sunday at the 11:41 mark of the first period. Sophomore forward Marisa Ketterman (Palmer, Alaska) started the play by leading the rush into the offensive end. Her shot from the right side was turned aside by Holy Cross senior goaltender Alexandra Stevenson. The rebound wound up in front of the crease, which set off a goalmouth scramble. Brolsma was the first on the scene and salted away her ninth goal of the season, while junior forward Bryana Harron (Woburn, Mass.) picked up an assist on the play as well.

Holy Cross was able to tie the game at 1-1 before the first intermission, as it struck at the 19:28 mark. Freshman forward Lauren Abbenante led a rush through the neutral zone, made a move to her right in the offensive end and picked the top-right corner over the shoulder of sophomore goaltender Shannon O'Neil (Tewksbury, Mass.). Senior forward Nicole Giannino and sophomore defenseman Erin Hall had the assists on Abbenante's 10th of the campaign.

A pair of power-play goals in the second period allowed Holy Cross to build a 3-1 lead heading into the third period. The eventual game-winning goal came off the stick of senior forward Mary Klimasewiski at 10:39, with Harron in the box for hooking. With the puck in the left circle, Violette sent a pass to the point for junior forward Mackenzie Boardman, who put a shot on net. O'Neil made the initial save, but Klimasewiski converted the rebound for her team-leading 15th of the season.

Violette also assisted on the second goal of the period, as she sent the puck back to the point from the right circle. Sophomore defenseman Isabela Bagi let her shot fly from the point and wound up with her eighth of the year at 17:23.

The Crusaders picked up an insurance marker in the third period to create the 4-1 final. The puck came to Klimasewiski at the top of the left-wing circle and she took a shot from there. Violette had positioned herself in the shooting lane and was able to redirect the puck into the top-left corner for her 14th goal of the season to cap the scoring.

O'Neil finished with 26 saves against 30 shots and suffered the loss (8-4-1) in the crease for Franklin Pierce. Stevenson -- the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, primarily for her work against Saint Anselm on Saturday, when she made 31 saves -- made 23 stops against 24 shots to pick up the win (12-5-3) for Holy Cross.

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).