White finishes with 37 saves

WINCHENDON, Mass. (January 29, 2016) – A goal each in the first and second periods helped the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team take a two-goal lead into the third period on Friday night, but sophomore forward Kaitlyn Spillane capped the Saint Anselm comeback 50 seconds into overtime, as the latter came away with a 4-3 win in New England Hockey Conference play at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Saint Anselm -- which trailed 2-0 and 3-1 in the third period -- went 3-for-6 on the power play in the third stanza, including a pair of 5-on-3 goals, to rally to force the extra session.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 12-4-1 (6-4-0 NEHC), while Saint Anselm improves to 16-2-0 (10-2-0 NEHC).

Franklin Pierce would take a 2-0 lead into the third period on Friday night after striking once in each of the first two periods. In the opening frame, junior forward Lanie Matsumoto (Fort Collins, Colo.) opened the scoring with her third goal of the season at the 18:22 mark. The goal was unassisted, as Matsumoto took the puck herself through the left side of the neutral zone and then beat her defender wide at the blue line. With space to uncork her shot in the left circle, Matsumoto snapped a wrist shot to the far side, which rang off the right post and in.

Though it was on the other side of the intermission, Franklin Pierce's second goal would come just 4:11 later, at the 2:33 mark of the second period. Matsumoto and senior forward Haylea Barbieri (Plainville, Mass.) combined to set up the fifth goal of the season for senior forward Francesca Paciello (Clinton, N.Y.) from the right side.

Saint Anselm got on the board at the tail-end of a two-man advantage, at the 4:49 mark of the third period. The puck came to senior forward Sarah Geisinger at the left point, and she was left with room to drift into the high slot. Geisinger snapped a shot from there, and though Franklin Pierce junior goaltender Noelle White (Corona, Calif.) got a piece of it, she could not keep the puck out of the net, as it went for Geisinger's eighth of the season, unassisted.

Senior defenseman Sarah Sheils (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had the answer for Franklin Pierce just 1:50 later, restoring the two-goal lead at 3-1. After taking control in the neutral zone and catching Saint Anselm out of position, Sheils led a 4-on-1 into the offensive end on the right side. Sheils elected to take the shot herself from the right circle and notched her sixth of the campaign by going short side on Saint Anselm junior goaltender Hannah Synnott.

Saint Anselm's second 5-on-3 goal of the period came at the 9:19 mark to close the gap to 3-2. Senior forward Alex Kazmer jammed home a rebound at the left post for her eighth goal of the year. Freshman forward Sara McNamara had the original shot on the play and picked up an assist, along with junior defenseman Meaghan Spurling.

Another power-play goal at the 17:29 mark allowed the Hawks to draw level at 3-3 with time beginning to wind down in regulation. Geisinger took a shot from the left side, which McNamara deflected at the top of the crease to notch her eighth goal of the season. Kazmer picked up an assist on the play as well.

After the final 2:31 of regulation went without further scoring, Saint Anselm completed the comeback and won the game just 50 seconds into the extra session. Spillane took control in the left circle and quickly snapped a shot past White for her fifth goal of the season to send the Hawks away winners.

White (6-1-0) finished with 37 saves against 41 shots between the pipes for Franklin Pierce. Synnott (14-1-0) stopped 21 of the 24 shots she faced in the crease for Saint Anselm.

The Ravens return to the ice on Saturday, Jan. 30, when they travel to Salve Regina for an NEHC 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 (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' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).