Box
Score
UTICA, NY -- The Williams women's hockey team (4-5-1) played a
gutsy sixty minutes in upstate New York this evening but could not
find the equalizing score, as they fell to the Utica Pioneers
(8-5-2) for the second time this season, this one by a count of
1-0. The Ephs played the Pioneers to a one-goal loss earlier in the
season on Dec. 12th, but head coach Marissa O'Neil was convinced
that the team played better in this contest.
"In the end it was the same result as the last time with these
guys," she admitted, "but our overall effort was much better.... We
had good opportunities in the early going...and even though we
outpossessed them, we couldn't produce as many quality scoring
chances as we should have."
The game winner came midway through the first period, when team
scoring leader Lynny Gonzales slid one through the five hole of Eph
netminder Sara Plunkett for her seventh on the year. The veteran
goalie held steady for the remainder of the game, shutting the door
on 24 Utica attempts, but Williams could not find a way past her
senior counterpart Jill Doherty who denied all 26 shots she
saw.
"We started off a little slow," acknowledged O'Neil, "but I think
our sense of urgency grew throughout the game. I still think we
need to play urgently for the entirety of the game, especially in
front of the net."
Despite outshooting the formidable opponent and killing off all
five of their power-play chances, the purple and gold took another
tough loss. They will look to bounce back against St. Anslem this
Saturday in what should prove to be another trying road battle for
the Ephs. The puck drops at 3:00PM in Manchester, NM.
