Ravens head into break at 7-2-1

SHELTON, Conn. (December 6, 2015) – In a game which struggled to find its pace early on, two teams which had combined for six goals the previous day -- the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team and Sacred Heart -- managed just two on Sunday afternoon, as they played to a 1-1 tie in non-conference play. The teams traded shorthanded goals over the course of the afternoon at The Rinks at Shelton, with senior forward Hanna Skelley striking for Sacred Heart and senior forward Francesca Paciello (Clinton, N.Y.) answering for Franklin Pierce.

With the win, Franklin Pierce heads into the semester break at 7-2-1, while Sacred Heart hits the break at 2-4-2.

The first period went scoreless on Sunday, as neither team seemed particularly organized in the second game of the weekend series. Sacred Heart eventually opened the scoring with a shorthanded tally at the 15:21 mark of the second period. Junior defenseman Amie Varano was able to spring senior forward Casey Stathopoulos up the right side, through the neutral zone and the latter ultimately led a 2-on-1 into the offensive end. Stathopoulos eventually centered for Skelley, who finished off her fifth of the season.

Franklin Pierce answered after the midway point of the third period, forging the game-tying goal while shorthanded at the 12:52 mark. Paciello did all the work herself, as she stole the puck at her own blue line and kick-started her own breakaway the other way. Paciello ultimately deked her way to her backhand and finished her third of the season at the right post.

The remainder of the third period and the entirety of the overtime period went without further scoring, as both teams headed into the semester break with a 1-1 tie.

Junior goaltender Shannon O'Neil (Tewksbury, Mass.) made 29 saves against 30 shots on goal in the tie (4-2-1) for Franklin Pierce. At the other end of the ice, senior Amanda Fontaine (0-2-2) piled up 37 saves against 38 shots in the crease for Sacred Heart.

After the semester break, the Ravens return to the ice on Friday, Jan. 8, when they open a non-conference weekend series at William Smith. Opening faceoff is set for 4 p.m. at Geneva Recreation Complex Skating Rink in Geneva, N.Y.

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).