NEW LONDON, CT — The Williams College women's hockey team (10-13-2) fell to Connecticut College (15-7-3) 5-2 this afternoon in the NESCAC quarterfinals. Senior Julie Beattie (Livonia, MI) scored the game-winning goal at 8:21 in the second period, assisted by junior Kate Kohl (Chelmsford, MA). Connecticut will face off against Amherst in the semifinals of the conference tournament on March 4, 2017.
The Camels took the lead at 8:45 in the first period, with an unassisted goal by freshman Samantha Estes (Millis, MA).
Play went up and down the ice for the rest of the first period. Then early on in the second period, the Ephs tied up the game 1-1 with a power play goal by senior Chelsey Stevenson (Tilbury, ONT) at 3:19. Stevenson was assisted by senior captain Hanna Beattie (Whitehouse Station, NJ).
Connecticut took the lead again at 6:54, going up 2-1 with a power play goal of their own by Estes. This time, Estes was assisted by senior Stephanie Izzi (Salley, SC) and Kohl.
Carrying momentum after the Estes goal, the Camels scored to go up 3-1 just over a minute later. Beattie got the puck past freshman goalie Marissa Anderson (East Falmouth, MA) assisted by Kohl.
Connecticut capitalized on another Williams penalty, scoring another power play goal at 9:39 to make it 4-1. Izzi scored, assisted by Beattie.
Williams continued to dig out pucks for the rest of the period, and at 16:56 the Ephs made it a two goal game when junior Alex Lovaas (Wayzata, MN) scored. Lovaas was assisted by the sophomore duo of Abby Brustad (Mound, MN) and Eliza Quigley (Marblehead, MA).
With just ten seconds left in the second frame, Estes scored her third goal of the night, solidifying the Camels' lead 5-2. She was assisted by senior Cassie Hunter (Gilford, NH) and sophomore Paige Michel (Essex, CT).
The final frame was riddled with penalties, as Connecticut earned three penalty kills and Williams earned two.
"I thought we played a great five on five game today," reflected Williams head coach Meghan Gillis, "We got into trouble on the penalty kill in the second period, and Connecticut capitalized."
Anderson made a total of 25 saves tonight, while Connecticut's senior goalie Katherine Chester (Mendham, NJ) made 28.
