SHELTON, Conn. – A strong start for Post University Women's Ice Hockey could not be sustained on Saturday afternoon against the top team in the New England Women's Hockey Alliance as the shorthanded Eagles took a 1-0 lead into the second period before allowing three unanswered goals to the Sharks, falling 3-1, in their penultimate home game of the season.

THE BASICS

Post University 1, Long Island University 3

Post University (7-24-1, 7-18-1 NEWHA)

Long Island University (24-8-0, 24-2-0 NEWHA)

HOW IT HAPPENED  
Shortly after a media timeout and a power-play chance for the Eagles, it was senior forward Holly Kubichek who got Post on the board first just over 13 minutes into the first period. Off the faceoff draw which freshman forward Macy Peterson won, freshman forward Noa Farberman flung a pass over to freshman defenseman Dani Ammons for the shot. En route to the goal, Kubichek would get a piece of it to redirect it past sophomore goalie Annie Abramson who was making her first start of the season to give the Eagles the lead, 1-0. It was only the second time in the all-time series in which Post had struck first and had a lead against the Sharks.
 
The last time Post had a lead against LIU was on October 29^th, 2022 when Sheridan Terrazzano opened the scoring in the second period before the Sharks quickly responded with two goals a few minutes later.
 
Similar to that game, the Sharks would do the same by responding with two goals in the opening two minutes of the second period. Only 32 seconds into the frame, a tipped puck found sophomore forward Jeannie Wallner's stick in front of senior goalie Grace Glasrud and Wallner pushed the puck over her head for the equalizer. Less than two minutes after that, freshman forward Grace Babington gave LIU the lead for good after sophomore defenseman Emma Mortl's shot from the point was tipped off her stick and into the back of the net.
 
While Post would have four power-play opportunities, including two in the third period in which they sustained pressure for nearly the entire duration of the advantage, they would be unable to cash in on it. However, on their second power-play of the day, the Sharks would score their third consecutive goal after senior forward Maggie Culp's initial shot was saved by Glasrud and with no Eagle defenders around, Culp corralled the loose puck and put it in the back of the net to extend the LIU lead to two, 3-1.
 
Making 10 saves in the third, Abramson helped keep Post off the scoreboard and earn her first win of the season with the 3-1 victory for the Sharks.
 
BY THE NUMBERS 

• Annie Abramson earned her first win of the season, getting her first start in 364 days, after making 21 saves on 22 shots from Post while Grace Glasrud finished with 27 saves on 30 attempts by the Sharks
• Over the last seven games, Post University is 1-for-32 on the power-play while being unable to score on their last 30 power-play opportunities 
• With the first period goal, Post University snapped a four-game stretch in which they had been shutout by LIU dating back to January 13^th, 2023 which was a 7-1 loss for the Eagles on the road
• Long Island University remains undefeated in the all-time series against Post now standing at 15-0-0 since the two teams began facing each other in 2019

WHO'S NEXT
Post University wraps up the regular season with a home-and-home next weekend against Sacred Heart University starting on Friday night. That will be the final home game and Senior Day for the Eagles at the Sports Center of Connecticut's Upper Rink. The puck is slated to drop at 8:00 PM with the Senior Day ceremony coming just before that. In their last matchup, Post got their first win in program history against the Pioneers, 3-2, snapping a 31-game streak in the all-time series without a win.