EAST MEADOW, N.Y. (3/1/23) – The Franklin Pierce women's ice hockey team left it all out on the ice on Wednesday afternoon, but found their playoff run suddenly halted by a 2-1 overtime loss to top-seeded Long Island University (LIU) in the NEWHA Semifinals at the Northwell Health Ice Center.

As the season officially comes to a close, the Ravens complete the campaign with a 18-15-3 (15-9-3 NEWHA) overall record, finishing as the fourth-seeded team in the NEWHA standings. LIU moves to 19-13-3 (17-4-3 NEWHA) and advances to the conference final, where they will face the winner of Wednesday's No. 2 Saint Anselm College and No. 3 Stonehill College semifinal matchup.

In the first period, the Sharks got things going early with a goal just 1:45 into the action. From behind the Raven net, LIU defender Emma Mörtl sent a pass to the low slot for a one-timer by forward Stella Scott, which on the save produced a rebound for scorer Jeannie Walner for the 1-0 LIU lead. Through the opening frame, the Ravens would only manage two shots on goal, getting outshot by the Sharks 9-2 in total in the first 20 minutes.

The second period would see a sharper Raven offense, as they would find their way to eight shots on LIU starter Tindra Holm. However, both Holm and Raven starter Jill Hertl (Highland Park, Ill.) would slam the door on everything thrown at them in the second, and would keep the game a 1-0 difference heading into the third period.

As was the case in game two of the Sacred Heart quarterfinal series, the Ravens delivered once more in the late stages of regulation. With just over one minute left to play junior forward Claire Casey (Superior, Wisc.) wheeled a puck in front off the end boards which connected with forward Ava Kison (Eau Clair, Wisc.), finding a wide open Mikayla Kelly (Eagan, Minn.) on the far post to tie the game at 1-1. The score would remain deadlocked at the end of regulation, on what was Kelly's third of the playoffs and 17^th on the year.

Despite the late effort to force overtime, LIU wasted no time in the extra period to score the game winner, scoring just 00:40 in. Following a Franklin Pierce turnover right behind their own net, forward Mikayla Lantto corralled the puck to the front of the net, where she sent a shot blocker side on Hertl that just barely squeaked through, winning the game 2-1 in OT for the Sharks.

Jill Hertl (15-11-3) rose to the occasion once again for the Ravens, making 35 saves on 37 total shots in the loss. Tindra Holm (14-10-3) claimed the win for LIU following a 13-of-14 night in net.