WORCESTER, Mass. – Three consecutive goals to start Game Three of the NEWHA Tournament Quarterfinals over the span of 10 1/2 minutes would be the undoing for Post University Women's Ice Hockey in their bid to return to a second straight NEWHA Semifinals as the seventh seed. Second seed Assumption University rode that early momentum in a decisive final game of the series to a 4-2 victory, holding off a late Eagles' surge in Worcester, Massachusetts on Sunday night. 

THE BASICS

Post University 2, Assumption University 4

Post University (11-25-1)

Assumption University (19-15-3)

HOW IT HAPPENED
After it was Post scoring the first goal in the first two games of the series, this time it was Assumption who struck first as junior forward Caroline Lilley beat senior goalie Hannah Saunders for the first of three goals that the Greyhounds scored in the first period, all coming over a 10 1/2 minute span. The next strike would come from freshman forward Natalie Joiner as part of her two-point game, beating Saunders about eight minutes later, increasing that Assumption lead to two early on.

As was the case in Game One, penalties came back to haunt the Eagles as junior forward Jodie Rose drew a two-minute roughing penalty, leading to junior forward Kayla McGaffigan's goal only nine seconds later off the faceoff with help from Joiner, and junior defenseman Justina Valentini, who had the lone Greyhound goal a day ago. In all, Saunders would stop seven of 10 shots in the first, before going on to make 22 saves over the final two periods and allow no goals. Junior goalie Jadyn Weiser got off to a strong start in net for Assumption, going a perfect 11-for-11 to lead her team into the first intermission with a 3-0 edge.

Making the most of their first man-up chance, Post got one back against Weiser in the second from sophomore defenseman Caryss Kehl, who finished the series with two goals and four goals in her last five games, while the Eagles only had one other power play try in the affair, which came later in the period and they would be unable to cash in on. As for Assumption, they had three over the first two periods before having one more in the third, as the Eagles penalty kill unit held the home team in check over the final three, finishing the day 3-for-4. 

Still looking to pull off the comeback, senior forward Tristan Currie, who assisted on Kehl's goal, found the back of the net with exactly two minutes left in regulation with Saunders pulled from the net. Over the final 1:45, Saunders was again pulled for the extra attacker as Post rifled off three shots against Weiser before freshman forward Peyton Tully's shot was blocked, caroming to center ice where junior forward Alexa Hanrahan was for the empty netter with three seconds left, sealing the 4-2 win in Game Three for the Greyhounds, behind a 35-save effort from Weiser. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Natalie Joiner recorded the only multi-point game for Assumption University, scoring the second goal of the game, while adding an assist on the third for the Greyhounds
• Caryss Kehl ends the season on a two-game point streak with goals in back-to-back games, while having four games in one assist over the course of the final five games of the year 
• Tristan Currie closes her career with Post University with a goal and an assist for two points in Sunday night's third game 
• Post University falls to 0-2-0 in NEWHA Tournament Game Threes in program history with the other loss coming to Saint Anselm College during the 2023-24 season when they dropped that decision, 6-1