WINCHENDON, Mass. (January 19, 2018) – A late goal by freshman forward Katy Meehan broke a 2-2 tie and would stand as the game-winning goal on Friday night, as the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team dropped a 4-2 decision to Saint Anselm on home ice. Meehan had a goal and an assist on the night, while sophomore forward Amanda Conger had two goals and an assist to lead the way for the Hawks at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 10-7-1 and sees its winning and unbeaten streaks snapped at six and eight games, respectively. With the win, Saint Anselm improves to 14-2-1. The two teams will meet again on Saturday afternoon at Saint Anselm to wrap up the four-game season series. Opening faceoff is set for 1 p.m. at Sullivan Arena in Manchester, N.H.

After the first period went scoreless, Saint Anselm opened the scoring 4:37 into the second period. Sophomore defenseman Haley Marshall sent the puck from the right point over to the left point for Conger, who fired a shot towards the net from there. Her shot hit Franklin Pierce freshman goaltender Kelly Turney (Fort Gratiot, Mich.) square in the mask and staggered the netminder, which allowed senior defenseman Jackie Guy to finish off the rebound at the right post for her fourth goal of the season. Turney would ultimately stay in the game after a visit from the Franklin Pierce training staff.

The Ravens evened things up at 1-1 at the 7:11 mark. Sophomore defenseman Katie Neuburger (Fayetteville, N.Y.) held the puck in at the right point and then sent it towards the net. Her shot was knocked down by the defense, but then fell loose in the slot, below the hash marks. Freshman forward Marissa Massaro (Brockton, Mass.) was on the scene, corralled the puck and quickly put away her ninth goal of the campaign.

Saint Anselm jumped to a 2-1 lead before the second intermission, with a power-play goal at 18:33. From the left side, Meehan passed the puck to the middle of the blue line for sophomore defenseman Megan Klaus, who took a shot from there. The shot was knocked down en route, but fell right to Conger between the hash marks. Conger threw a backhand towards the net and slipped it inside the right post for her fourth goal of the year.

Franklin Pierce again drew even, this time at 2-2, on the power play at 7:10. From the left point, Neuburger sent a pass into the left-wing corner for senior forward Alex Brolsma (Bloomington, Minn.). Brolsma worked her way along the goal line, threw a shot on net and eventually banged home her own rebound for her 10^th goal of the season. Freshman forward Haley Parker (Londonderry, N.H.) picked up an assist on the play as well. 

The game would remain tied until the final two minutes, when Saint Anselm struck for the lead for good. The game-winner came on a 2-on-1 in the offensive end. With the puck on the left side, freshman forward Madison Sprague centered for Meehan, who held for a moment and then snapped her eighth of the campaign inside the left post, at the 18:29 mark.

The Hawks added an empty-net goal at 19:07, on the power play, to create the 4-2 final. Conger tallied her second of the night, off assists from junior forward Caley Mueller and Guy.

Turney (4-4-1) finished with 26 saves against 29 shots in the crease for Franklin Pierce. Sophomore goaltender Michaela Kane (3-0-0) stopped 14 of 16 shots at the other end of the ice to pick up the win for Saint Anselm.

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).