EAST MEADOW, N.Y. (December 3, 2021) -- A second-period shorthanded tally put Long Island University ahead to stay on Friday afternoon, as the Sharks remained perfect in New England Women's Hockey Alliance play and dealt the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team a 4-1 loss on Long Island. Four different players found the net for LIU, while junior Cassidy Jones (Stillwater, Minn.) provided the lone goal in defeat for the Ravens.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 8-5-1 (5-2-0 NEWHA) and has its unbeaten streak snapped at seven games (6-0-1). LIU improves to 9-7-0 (9-0-0 NEWHA). The two teams will wrap up the weekend series with a 2 p.m. game on Saturday in East Meadow.

The first period had the air of two teams feeling each other out, with the shots even at 6-6 and not much in the way of quality scoring chances at either end, save a flurry or two of chaotic action in front of each net. Each side came up empty on one power play in the first period, with LIU looking more coherent on its opportunity. The Sharks notched three shots on their advantage, while the Ravens mustered just one. Franklin Pierce chalked up four blocked shots in the opening 20 minutes, including a trio by junior Bethany Ross (Canton, Mich.).

LIU had 1:46 left on its second power play of the day as the second period ended, and the Sharks would need just 29 seconds to capitalize. Off a faceoff win in the left circle, freshman Bri Eid worked the puck into the slot for fellow freshman Jeannie Wallner. Wallner fired a shot from there, which junior Matilda af Bjur tipped at the top of the crease for her fourth goal of the year.

Franklin Pierce had the answer on the very next shift, just 42 seconds later. LIU generated a 2-on-1 almost immediately after scoring, but senior goaltender Emme Ostrander (Westborough, Mass.) was able to shut things down with a sliding save to her left against junior Abby Latorella. On the ensuing rush up the ice, Jones stormed into the zone on the left side and had her initial shot stopped by freshman netminder Tindra Holm.

Sophomore Emilie Prive (Morrisville, Vt.) had a hand in retaining possession in the right circle, and got the puck back to Jones, out near the top of the zone. Jones did not get everything on her shot from there, but the puck navigated its way between the pads of Holm and to the back of the net anyway, for Jones' fourth of the year, at 1:11.

Franklin Pierce went to the power play at 12:57, but it was LIU which struck shorthanded at 13:29. On the penalty kill, af Bjur forced a turnover in her own end and hit junior Carrigan Umpherville in stride in the neutral zone, which left freshman Julia Stevens (Minneapolis, Minn.) in pursuit. In all alone, Umpherville made her move to the right post and tucked the puck around the outstretched left skate of Ostrander for her fifth of the campaign.

Freshman Maggie Korneta provided an insurance tally with 7:06 to play, as LIU finished things off in the third. On the right wing, senior Megan Roe found Korneta in the high slot. Korneta made a slick move around her defender to get to the hash marks, and then wired her third of the year to the top-left corner, over the blocker shoulder of Ostrander at 12:54.

A power-play tally at 15:22 created the 4-1 final, as junior Alva Johnsson banked a centering pass from the left side off the Franklin Pierce defense and in, for her third of the season.

Ostrander (3-4-0) finished with 23 saves against 27 shots and suffered the loss in the Franklin Pierce net. Holm (8-4-0) stopped 23 shots at the other end as well, out of 24, to pick up the win.