FAIRFIELD, Conn. – It has been a long time coming for Post University Women's Ice Hockey, but with the way they had matched up against Sacred Heart University in their previous four matchups, even yesterday in a 3-0 defeat, it was only a matter of time. For the Eagles, Saturday would be their time.
Snapping a 10-game losing streak and winning their first game in program history against the Pioneers, Post University overcame an early 1-0 deficit to snatch a 3-2 victory over Sacred Heart on Saturday afternoon. It was the first time in 31 games in the head-to-head in which the Eagles emerged victorious.
THE BASICS
Post University 3, Sacred Heart University 2
Post University (4-16-0, 4-10-0 NEWHA)
Sacred Heart University (8-13-0, 7-7-0 NEWHA)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sophomore forward
Tristan Currie was the one making the magic happen for the Eagles offensively, helping lead the charge in a game they fell behind early in. Graduate forward Sophie Lupone gave the Pioneers a 1-0 lead less than five minutes into the contest during one of seven power plays for Sacred Heart when she beat senior goalie
Grace Glasrud for the score. Freshman forward Grayson Limke and graduate defenseman Emily Wisnewski would assist on the man-up goal which would be the first of two that the Pioneers would get.
But just after a power play opportunity for the Eagles would come to pass, Currie would tie the game up at one all with 7:52 remaining in the opening frame. That shot would be the lone one Post would get in the first period and they would only have 11 total in the game, making the most of their opportunities. Sophomore forward
Maddy Noonan would hit sophomore forward
Tymmarie Grom near the left post before finding Currie in front of junior goalie Carly Greene for the score. Just under halfway through the second it would be Currie again, this time on the no-look pass from freshman defenseman
Jodie Rose who set up Currie to Greene's left before she beat her on the right side for the go-ahead goal.
Providing some breathing room for the Eagles would be junior defenseman
Caisey Van Den Oetelaar with her second goal of the season as the second period was coming to a close and another Post power play had just expired. Some fancy puck work between Grom and freshman forward
Jet Devlin would help locate Van Den Oetelaar near the left side of the circle for a shot in traffic that found its way past Greene, giving Post a 3-1 cushion heading into the final 20 minutes.
That cushion would prove to be worthwhile as freshman forward Isabella Chaput cut the Eagle lead in half with a power-play goal from junior forward Sydney Antonakis and senior forward Paige McNeil with still 5:48 remaining in regulation. But Glasrud would stand tall in net, making four saves down the stretch while another six shots from the Pioneers were either blocked or wide of the net. Three of those four saves would come with Greene pulled for Sacred Heart who looked for the game-tying goal with a 6-on-5 advantage. But the Eagles would hold on for the 3-2 victory to head into the winter break with a win, their first-ever against Sacred Heart in program history.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Grace Glasrud earned her first win since October 27th with a 27-save performance on 29 shot attempts -- Glasrud is now 3-7-0 this season in net
- The two-goal performance for Tristan Currie was the first time she has scored multiple goals in a game across her two-year career as an Eagle thus far
- Post University finished 0-for-8 on the power play, totaling just four shots across those advantages -- The Eagles are now 0-for-23 in their last six games on the power play with the last man-up goal coming against Franklin Pierce University on November 11th
- The 3-2 win is the first time in program history in which Post University has defeated Sacred Heart University, having gone winless in their first 31 matchups (0-30-1)
- Post University snaps a 10-game losing streak with the victory, winning for the first time since October 28th against Saint Michael's College and first time on the road since October 13th against Stonehill
WHO'S NEXT
Post University gets back on the ice next year on January 5
th, 2024 when they will return to home ice and face Stonehill College in a weekend conference matchup at the Sports Center of Connecticut's Upper Rink. The January 5
th game will see puck drop come at 1:30 PM. Early this season, the teams split their two games up in North Easton, Massachusetts with the Eagles winning their first-ever game against the Skyhawks, 3-2, before falling 4-0 the next day.
