The women’s hockey team showed growth in some areas and need for improvement in others as it took a point away from Bowdoin in a Friday-Saturday away doubleheader. On a cold Friday night in Brunswick, Maine, the Cardinals looked stellar defensively and in goal as they skated to a 0-0 tie. Things started to unravel the next night however, as the Birds allowed four goals, despite strong goaltending, on the way to a 4-0 loss.
Spectacular netminding was the common denominator between the two sides on Friday night, as Wesleyan’s Corinne Rivard ’16 and Bowdoin’s Sophia Lattanzio combined for 64 saves. Earning the first shutout of her collegiate career, Lattanzio turned aside 28 shots, while Rivard stopped 36.
Captain Ellery Sarosi ’16 almost put the Birds up 1-0 with just over five minutes remaining in the first period of play, when she got in behind the Bowdoin defense after an excellent breakout pass. Skating in on Lattanzio, she put her shot just wide right of the goal, and the home crowd breathed a sigh of relief.
Bowdoin skaters Ariana Bourque and Julie Dachille proved troublesome all night for Wesleyan, combining for numerous opportunities which were all stopped by Rivard between the pipes. Perhaps the pair’s best opportunity came at the three-minute mark in the second period, as Dachille, coming down the right side, drew Rivard across her crease, before feeding Bourque for the one-timer. Rivard, however, got back across her crease just in time, and made the save.
Sarosi again almost stole the lead for the Red and Black in the third period, putting two good shots on goal during Wesleyan’s only power play. Regulation ended in a tie, however, and from the beginning of the overtime period, Bowdoin dominated. Bourque and Dachille switched roles as Bourque fed Dachille on the right post for what appeared to be a sure finish. Continuing her streak, Rivard closed the door at the last moment. The Polar Bears outshot the Cardinals 5-0 in the overtime period, but the game ended in a 0-0 tie.
Laura Corcoran ’16 got the nod from Coach McKenna on Saturday night, and ultimately earned the loss despite making 39 saves. Regardless of goaltending quality, when a team takes 43 shots, a few are likely to slip through. Peppered throughout the contest, the Cardinals gave up four goals, and failed to produce offensively as the Polar Bears skated to the 4-0 victory.
It seems that penalties were the biggest difference maker for Wesleyan between the two games; they only took one on Friday night, compared to three on Saturday afternoon. Bowdoin managed to capitalize on two of those in the latter contest, including an early one, which gave them the edge for the entire game.
Wesleyan forward Jenny Robinson ’16 was given two minutes in the box for tripping at 7:46 in the first period, and the Polar Bears wasted no time in capitalizing. Just over a minute into the power play, Bowdoin sophomore Miranda Bell collected a pass in the low slot from a teammate, and fired one past Corcoran, putting her squad up 1-0.
Play was quiet for the rest of the period, and the Cardinals came into the second with high intensity. Cici Frattasio ’18 nearly tied the game nine minutes into the second, as she used her quick release to put a feed from behind the goal line on Bowdoin’s goaltender. Junior Lan Crofton, who earned the start for the Polar Bears, made a quick glove save, one of twenty-three on the afternoon.
The home team went on a six-minute tear after that, though, scoring three goals in six minutes. Bourque again proved pesky for the Cardinals, scoring at 8:24 and 10:18, assisted on both goals by Dachille. Frustrated, the Birds again went shorthanded when Alex Horton ’18 took a tripping penalty at 12:40. Dachille got her third point of the night as she put in the fourth and final goal of the game at 14:22. The third period went scoreless, and Wesleyan took the shutout loss to end the weekend with just one point.
The Red and Black will look to produce more offensively in their next weekend matchup as they travel to Middlebury to face a tough Panthers squad. The teams face off at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5, and at 3:00 p.m. the next day.