SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (December 10, 2021) -- A pair of first-period power-play tallies were all Union would need on Friday night, as the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team suffered a 4-0 defeat in non-conference play on the road at Messa Rink. Union ran up a 48-20 advantage in shots on the night, and Franklin Pierce senior netminder Emme Ostrander (Westborough, Mass.) piled up 44 saves in defeat for the Ravens.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 8-8-1, and has lost four in a row for the first time since February of 2018. With the win, Union improves to 4-15-1. The two teams will wrap up the weekend set on Saturday, with a 3 p.m. puck drop at Messa Rink.

Union was dominant in the first period, to the tune of a 16-2 advantage in shots. The Dutchwomen cashed in on a pair of power-play chances, both via rebounds at the left post, to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Junior Olivia Groulx potted her first of the season at 9:36, while junior Carmen Merlo connected for her second of the year at 19:48. Ostrander made 14 saves in the first period to keep things from getting out of hand early.

Franklin Pierce's only serious chance of the first frame, and its best opportunity of the night, came when the Ravens sprang freshman Geno Hendrickson (Warroad, Minn.) in on a breakaway shortly after the 16-minute mark. Hendrickson deked around freshman goaltender Sophie Matsoukas, but was not quite able to tuck the puck inside the left post.

Union added another pair of rebound goals in the second period to create the 4-0 final. Freshman Maren Friday stuffed home her fourth of the year at the left post at 5:23, while freshman Maddie Suitor finished out front on the power play at 12:30. The Dutchwomen finished 3-for-5 on the power play on the night, while Franklin Pierce went 0-for-4.

Ostrander racked up 22 saves in the second period to keep Franklin Pierce in shouting distance, as she finished with 44 saves against 48 shots and still suffered the loss (3-6-0). It was her fifth career game of 40 or more saves. Matsoukas (2-4-0) stopped all 20 shots at the other end of the ice for Union to pick up her first collegiate shutout.