WORCESTER, Mass. – Freshman forward Georgia Stevens scored an early power play goal for seventh-seeded Post University Women's Ice Hockey in Game One of the NEWHA Tournament Quarterfinals against second-seeded Assumption University on Friday afternoon, but a costly pair of third-period penalties forced the affair into overtime, where sophomore forward Jodie Gratton netted the 2-1 game-winner in the sudden-death frame. 

THE BASICS

Post University 1, Assumption University 2 (OT)

Post University (10-24-1)

Assumption University (18-14-3)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Although the shot totals begged to differ in the first period, it seemed as though Post was dominating on the offensive side of the ice against junior goalie Jadyn Weiser, rifling off 11 shots against her while senior goalie Hannah Saunders faced 13 shots for the Eagles. Stevens would break through on the first of three power plays with the help of senior forward Tymmarie Grom and junior forward Jodie Rose, beating Weiser with a shot into the top left corner of the net just over halfway into the frame, making it a 1-0 Post lead.

While a high stick call waved off the potential game-tying goal in the second for the Greyhounds, Saunders would remain strong in net, making 15 more saves to keep Assumption off the scoreboard, while Weiser had to handle just nine shots and proceeded to only need to face four shots in the third period, which was when the Greyhounds knotted the game at one to force overtime. 

Freshman forward Peyton Tully drew a tripping penalty to start the third, followed by junior defenseman Emma Hoen's interference call, resulting in a 5-on-3 power play for the Greyhounds, leading to junior defenseman Kaitlyn Cielo cleaning up a loose puck in front of Saunders to tie the game at one all. Post as a team drew six penalties, but the penalty kill went 5-for-6 on the day, with the lone falter being on the power play goal, which was charged to the penalty Tully drew. 

Nearly tying the record for their longest game played in program history, the first 20-minute overtime nearly drew to a close with neither side scoring, which would have led to Post entering a second overtime, which had only happened in one other playoff game during the 2022-23 season when they fell to Stonehill College in Game Two, which went to double overtime in a 4-3 finish. However, after Assumption killed off the penalty assessed to junior forward Caroline Lilley, another rebound attempt resulted in Gratton beating Saunders for the game-winner, giving Assumption a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series with the 2-1 victory.

BY THE NUMBERS

• In the loss, Hannah Saunders made a season-high 50 saves against Assumption University, allowing two goals in the game 
• Both Alexa Hanrahan and Heather Ajakie finished with two-point games for Assumption University, accounting for the assists on both of the Greyhound goals 
• In overtime games this season, Post University falls to 1-4-0, with the lone win being on home ice against Assumption University back on January 9th
• This was only the second time in program history in which Post University has gone to overtime in a playoff game, last doing so against Stonehill College during the 2022-23 season, when they fell in Game Two on February 25th, 2023, against the Skyhawks, 4-3, in double overtime

WHO'S NEXT
Post University returns to the ice for Game 2 of the NEWHA Tournament Quarterfinals at 4:10 PM against Assumption University in Worcester, Massachusetts.