Williamstown, MA - The Williams College Ephs (5-3-1, 4-1-0 NESCAC) triumphed over the Wesleyan University Cardinals (4-4-1, 1-2-0 NESCAC) by a margin of 4-3 in their first game of the new year.
By the Numbers
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The Ephs out shot the Cardinals 75-55.
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The Ephs were 1 for 4 on the power play while the Cardinals were 1 for 2.
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There were a total of four goals scored in the third period.
Game Recap
With the game tied at 3-3 midway into the third period, the Ephs found themselves with a breakaway opportunity. Christina Halloran fired a pass off to Chloe Noxon, who sealed the game with her second goal of the evening.
After ending 2023 with two consecutive losses to nationally ranked opponents, the Ephs opened the game with a noticeable hunger and physicality. However, it was the Cardinals that found the back of the cage first in today's contest. After a tripping penalty was called on the Ephs, the Cardinals quickly capped off their power play opportunity successfully, by scoring a goal from the high slot (5:30).
After conceding the first goal of the game to the Cardinals, the Ephs were not deterred. Jaelyn Keiver and Katherine Kang recorded shots, as well as Chloe Noxon. After Noxon's shot was turned away, senior captain Christina Halloran found herself in the right place at the right time, getting the rebound and the game-tying goal for the Ephs (7:46). With the game deadlocked at 1-1, the Ephs had two great chances to take the lead, in the form of power play opportunities. The Cardinals' penalty kill unit was sharp, killing both penalties. As the period wound down, the Cardinals picked up their third penalty of the period and put the Ephs again on the power play.
Luck was somewhat on the Ephs side as the second period opened up. In the offensive zone on the power play, the puck bounced off Chloe Noxon's skate and into the back of the net. After some deliberation between the referees, it was ruled an Ephs goal, giving the home side a 2-1 lead (0:59). Later on, an Eph penalty gave the Cardinals a chance to respond, but the Eph special teams unit once again showed out, and successfully killed the power play.
While the second period was relatively uneventful after Noxon's goal, the third period was action packed, with four goals in the 20 minutes. Early into the period, the Cardinals tied up th game at 2-2 with a goal from Joyce Sun (3:34). This goal shifted momentum in their favor, and the Cardinals picked up another goal two and a half minutes later (6:04). The Ephs, now trailing for the first time since the first period, wasted no time tying the game up. 16 seconds after the Cardinals took the lead, Quinn Dawson tied the game for the Ephs at 3-3. After Noxon scored her second goal of the game at 11;23 assisted by Christina Halloran and Maddie Zack the Cardinals pulled their goaltender to give themselves some additional offensive firepower. Erin Pye made clutch saves as the game wound down to ensure the Ephs' first victory of the new calendar year.
After the game Eph head coachfor the Ephs Meghan Gillis commented, "I thought we bounced back from a bad start to the third. Chloe and Quinn stepped up with two huge goals for us to get the win against a resilient Wesleyan team."
Tomorrow, the Ephs will once again face off against the Cardinals at home, with puck drop scheduled for 3 PM.
