Cambridge, MA - A three-goal first period outburst saw the Clarkson University Women's Hockey team continue its hot streak as the Golden Knights shocked fifth-ranked and previously unbeaten Harvard University 4-3 Saturday afternoon in an ECACHL game.
The Golden Knights extended their winning streak to five games and their unbeaten streak to seven contests as they improved to 8-2-1 on the season and remained unscathed at the top of the ECACHL conference with six points and a 3-0 record. The Crimson dropped to 3-1 on the season. In the previous four match ups between the two teams, Harvard had outscored Clarkson 17-1. The Knights take on eighth-ranked Dartmouth at 2 pm tomorrow afternoon.
Clarkson and Harvard started off the period on even terms as both teams scored a goal in the early going. Junior Ashley Shaidle (Hudson, OH) scored her sixth goal of the season at 5:30, an even-strength goal, with an assist going to freshman Kelsey Fletcher (St. Paul, MN). The Crimson quickly tallied the equalizer at 6:51 when Sarah Wilson scored a goal from Kati Vaughn and Jennifer Raimondi. However, the Knights would add two more goals in the period as Micheleen Devine (Medicine Hat, ALB) and Melissa Marshall (Oak Lawn, IL) scored within six minutes of the Harvard goal. Devine scored an unassisted marker at 9:24 and Marshall's tally came at 12:53 with an assist going to Emma Madigan (Mississauga, ONT).
The Golden Knights extended their lead in what was a dominating effort in the second period. Clarkson out shot Harvard 13-4 in the middle frame with a power-play goal giving the Knights a 4-1 advantage at 13:10. Freshman Sophie Doyon (Victoriaville, QUE) scored her first collegiate goal as junior captain Lindsay Williams (Mississauga, ONT) assisted.
The third period saw the Crimson trim the Knights lead to a single goal with a power-play goal midway through the stanza and a late-period tally with less than a minute to play.
Clarkson was able to stay out of the penalty box with just two miscues and four penalty minutes, while the Crimson spent 12 minutes a man down. Kira Hurley (Pickering, ONT) stopped 20 shots for her eight win of the season while Ali Boe made 25 stops for Harvard. The Golden Knights out shot the Crimson 29-23.
