Massaro’s First Career Goal Lifts Women’s Ice Hockey to 3-2 (OT) Win at Castleton

RUTLAND, Vt. (November 21, 2017) – Less than a minute into overtime on Tuesday night, sophomore defenseman Delaney Guimont (Bedford, N.H.) set up the first collegiate goal for freshman forward Marissa Massaro (Brockton, Mass.) as the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team pulled out a 3-2 win on the road at Castleton. The latter banged home the power-play marker from just outside the top of the crease at Spartan Arena, as both Massaro (1-1-2) and Guimont (0-2-2) capped off two-point nights.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 4-6-0, while Castleton falls to 4-4-1. After a pair of ties last season and an overtime loss this past weekend, the victory marked Franklin Pierce's first overtime win since a 4-3 triumph at Salve Regina on Jan. 30, 2016. The Ravens are 2-3-6 all-time in overtime.

The two teams traded power-play goals in the first period to start things off on Tuesday night. Castleton struck first, at the 13:44 mark. Junior defenseman Chanel Tvergyak wound up with her first goal of the season, as she slipped a shot from the top of the right-wing circle through traffic and inside the left post. Junior forward Aimee Briand and senior forward Hannah Rose provided the assists, while Franklin Pierce senior goaltender Madison Murray (Berkley, Mich.) appeared to be screened on the play.

Franklin Pierce had the answer, with a power-play marker of its own, just 2:36 later, at 16:20. Working her way behind the net from the right-wing corner while skating backwards, Massaro flipped a pass out into the right circle for freshman forward Kelsey Ryan (Burlington, Mass.). The latter quickly rifled home a shot from there for her third goal of the campaign.

After the second period went scoreless, the two sides traded goals again in the third period, though both at even strength this time. The Ravens needed just 68 seconds in the frame to jump to the lead. Sophomore defenseman Katie Neuburger (Fayetteville, N.Y.) put a shot towards the net from the right point. Freshman forward Nicole Amato (Billerica, Mass.) was stationed in the right circle and was able to deflect the puck en route to pick up her fifth goal of the year. Guimont added an assist as well at the 1:08 mark.

Castleton would even things up before the midpoint of the period. Leading a rush into the offensive end from the left-wing side, senior forward Lisa Kilroy cut into the high slot. She put her shot back against her momentum and placed it inside the left post for her fifth goal of the year, unassisted, at 8:12.

The remainder of the third period would go scoreless, with each team coming up empty on a power play in the second half of the stanza. Castleton went shorthanded for a sixth time on the night at the 19:40 mark, when freshman defenseman Courtney Gauthier was whistled for checking behind the play as the Ravens rushed up the ice.

As a result, the Ravens carried 100 seconds of power-play time with them into the overtime period, and needed only 59 of them to convert. In the first minute of the extra session, from behind the goal line on the left-wing side, Guimont found a seam to slip a pass out front. Massaro did not miss from there, as she jammed home her first career goal to send the Ravens spilling off the bench in celebration. Sophomore forward Meg Gilbride (Braintree, Mass.) picked up an assist on the play as well.

Murray (3-2-0) finished with 12 saves against just 14 shots to pick up the win for the Ravens, who outshot Castleton 27-14 on the night. At the other end of the ice, junior netminder Rylie Wills (3-1-1) stopped 24 of 27 shots and suffered the loss for the Spartans.

The Ravens have the weekend off and return to the ice on Dec. 1-2, when they travel to Morrisville State. Opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday at Morrisville State IcePlex in Morrisville, 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).