Holmes nets lone Ravens goal

WORCESTER, Mass. (February 6, 2016) – Holy Cross went a perfect 3-for-3 on the power play in the second period on Saturday afternoon, as the Crusaders built a 3-0 lead they would not relinquish against the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team. For its part, the Ravens' power play came up empty in seven chances in a 5-1 loss in New England Hockey Conference play at Hart Recreation Center.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 13-6-1 (7-6-0 NEHC), while Holy Cross improves to 19-2-0 (11-2-0 NEHC).

After the first period went scoreless, Holy Cross poured in four goals in a span of just 3:39 in the middle of the second period on Saturday. Junior defenseman Izzy Bagi opened the scoring with the lone even-strength goal of the bunch, her seventh of the season, at the 10:46 mark. Bagi took a feed from freshman forward Sam Girard, skated into the offensive zone and snapped home a wrist shot.

Just 39 seconds later, the Crusaders doubled the lead to 2-0 with the first of three straight power-play markers. Bagi had the original shot from the point on the play, which was saved, but junior forward Elizabeth Scala banged home the rebound for her ninth goal of the campaign. Senior defenseman Taylor McGee picked up an assist on the play as well at 10:45.

It would be Bagi again, 76 seconds later, with her second goal of the day, to make it 3-0. She took a feed from senior forward Mackenzie Boardman and drove home a slap shot from the point at the 13:01 mark, on the power play.

Junior defenseman Erin Hall capped the middle-period outburst 44 seconds later, at the 13:45 mark with yet another man-advantage goal. Hall scored with a wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle at the 13:45 mark, off of assists from freshman defenseman Jackie Gellner and sophomore forward Emily Lissner.

The Crusaders pushed the lead as high as 5-0 by scoring the first goal of the third period as well, at the 6:31 mark. Scala notched her second goal of the afternoon, off of assists from Hall and sophomore forward Kara Violette.

Franklin Pierce notched its only goal of the proceedings at the 12:08 mark of the final period. Sophomore forward Alex Brolsma (Bloomington, Minn.) worked the puck down low and fed junior forward Michelle Holmes (Goffstown, N.H.), who put her 12th goal of the season away on the goaltender's glove side.

Junior netminder Shannon O'Neil (Tewksbury, Mass.) made 18 saves against 22 shots over the opening 33:45 and ultimately took the loss (7-4-1). She was relieved after the Hall goal by junior Noelle White (Corona, Calif.), who stopped seven of eight shots over the remaining 36:15. At the other end of the ice, sophomore Tessie Salatas (10-0-0) made 20 saves against 21 shots between the pipes for Holy Cross.

The Ravens return to the ice on Friday, Feb. 12, when they travel to Plymouth State for an NEHC contest. Opening faceoff is set for 6 p.m. at Hanaway Rink in Plymouth, N.H.

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).