HARRISVILLE, R.I. (Nov. 13) – The UMass Boston women's ice hockey team won its first game of the season Friday evening, defeating Nichols, 7-3, in an ECAC East game at the June Rockwell Levy Rink. Lauren Duran led seven different players in scoring for the Beacons, who improve to 1-2 overall and in conference play. Nichols drops to 0-2 overall and in the ECAC East.

Allison Manzella lit the lamp for the Beacons less than seven minutes into the game when she buried a centering pass from behind the net from Katelyn Lajoie. Katelyn Pohlman picked up the second assist with the originating pass.

Haylie Carter (Forney, Texas) had a chance while shorthanded less than two minutes later as she picked off a pass in the neutral zone and cruised in unopposed with Hannah Tardif (Laconia, N.H.). Carter chose to take the shot herself, and UMass goalie Leah Hallett came up with a big save.

The Beacons struck again at the midway point of the opening period when Maria Nasta finished off a pass from Duran, placing it high past Nichols goalie Melanie Spears' (Woburn, Mass.) shoulder.

With less than a minute left in the first stanza, Katie Kirwan planted a rebound for a 3-0 lead. Lajoie's original shot from the left side was stopped by Spears, but the rebound popped out to the right where Kirwan pushed the puck into the open net.

UMass extended its lead to four less than eight minutes into the second period as Nasta returned the favor to Duran with a centering pass from behind the net that Duran placed high past Spears' blocker at 7:42.

Nichols struck just over a minute later, however, as Mandy Manopla (West Palm Beach, Fla.) poked in a loose puck fired in by Carter at 9:31. Carter got the play rolling by carrying the puck up the right boards from the neutral zone before taking aim at Hallett. The puck dropped at the near post for Manopla to push in.

The Bison cut the Beacons' lead in half with 18 seconds left with a power play marker from Tardif, her first of the season. Cheryl Pitts (Wakefield, Mass.) fired from the right circle and Tardif deflected the puck toward the net. Hallett made the stop, but the puck rolled up over her back and into the net for a 4-2 score.

Rachel Sousa edged UMass ahead by three at the get-go of the third, rattling off an unassisted goal 11 seconds into the final frame for a 5-2 advantage. The Beacons' Kelly Gillis added another score with 7:34 remaining, firing from the low right side into the upper left corner before Tardif potted her second of the night two minutes later. Carter centered a pass from Manopla to Tardif, who was waiting at the doorstep, and Tardif wristed it high past Hallett's glove.

Samantha Phillips added a late goal for the Beacons, with Kristen Smith notching the assist.

Hallett earned the win with 28 saves, while Spears made 44 stops. Nichols finished 1-for-4 on the power play while holding the Beacons scoreless in four opportunities.

The Bison kick off a six-game road trip on Saturday in a 3 p.m. ECAC East game at Manhattanville. UMass Boston travels to Salve Regina for an 8 p.m. conference game Saturday. 

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