SHELTON, Conn. –  Senior forward Angeline Pitter and Post University Women's Ice Hockey both made history on Friday afternoon at the Sports Center of Connecticut as Pitter tallied a program-record three assists, becoming the first player to do so following 29 players who earned two assists in a single game while the Eagles got their first win in program history against LIU, 3-2, holding off a late rally by the Sharks who trailed by three goals in the second period. 

THE BASICS

Post University 3, LIU 2

Post University (10-19-3, 10-13-3 NEWHA)

LIU (18-10-3, 18-6-2 NEWHA)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Within 12 seconds of each other, freshman forward Rowyn Ringor and senior forward Julia Wysocki would give the Eagles a 2-0 lead, making it five consecutive matchups against the Sharks in which they scored first. Ringor's goal would come off passes from sophomore forward Celena Mickevicius in the corner, followed by Pitter, who fired it toward the net. 

Graduate goalie Abbie Thompson would be unable to corral the puck, leading to a backhand shot from Ringor, her 10th goal of the season. Moments later, it would be Wysocki's turn as Pitter once again threw the puck in front of Thompson, and the senior forward would finish it off for the score. Meanwhile, junior goalie Hannah Saunders would have to face just four shots on goal, saving all of them to keep the Eagles ahead by two after 20 minutes.

Giving them their first-ever three-goal lead against the Sharks, freshman defenseman Caryss Kehl's shot from the point with the help of Pitter for the third time, as well as Ringor, who earned her second point of the day. But LIU would look to take back the momentum as a pair of Post penalties put them on a 5-on-3 power play just before the halfway point of the period.

Senior forward Jeannie Wallner's 12th goal of the season, with the help of senior forward Maggie Culp and graduate defenseman Anna Fairman, would cut the deficit down to two, 3-1, before Post settled back in for the rest of the frame. Despite leading in shots 21-11 in the second and 13-6 in shots on goal, Saunders would make 12 stops to put Post one period away from their first-ever win against the Sharks in program history. 

Cutting into the Post lead even more in the third would be junior forward Anya Weilandt as her one-timer in the center of the offensive zone after graduate forward Carrigan Umpherville and graduate forward Sarah Rourke passed the puck back and forth to set her up. The rest of the period would be dominated by the Sharks as they looked for the equalizer, peppering Saunders with 10 total shots while Thompson had to face just two for the entire frame.

With 1:50 left in regulation, Thompson would head to the bench for the extra attacker, and four blocked shots, along with two saves from Saunders, would help Post stay ahead with that one-goal lead for the eventual 3-2 victory on Friday afternoon, marking the first time in program history against the Sharks in 19 games played. The win was the eighth of the season for Saunders, who had 25 stops, as she became the first player in program history to beat every NEWHA opponent in the same season as well as her career with the victory. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• With three assists in today's game, Angeline Pitter set the single-game assist record for Post University after 29 players entering today had contributed two assists in one game 
• Tallying her 17th goal of the season, Julia Wysocki now has 25 points on the year, which ties her for the single-season record set by Jenna Abeyta during the 2019-20 season 
• Hannah Saunders becomes the first goalie in program history to defeat every NEWHA conference team with her eighth win of the season both in a career and in a single season
• Post University earns their first win in program history against LIU after being winless against the Sharks in the first 19 all-time matchups at 0-18-1 -- The Eagles had scored first in each of the last four games against LIU and were 0-3-1 in that stretch 

WHO'S NEXT
Post University finishes out the regular season with one final home-and-home series against Sacred Heart University starting next Friday down in Fairfield, Connecticut, at 7:00 PM. The Eagles swept past the Pioneers for the first time in program history, shutting them out at home, 3-0, before winning in a shootout on the road before the winter break.