Box Score

BURRILLVILLE, R.I. – The Nichols College women's ice hockey team fell to visiting Salve Regina, 5-1, on Monday night in an ECAC Women's East matchup at Levy Rink. 

Sophomore Michaela Chiuccariello (Winchester, Mass.) led the Seahawks with a goal and an assist while classmate Taylor Shepherd (Quincy, Mass.) and Rachel Porter (Franklin, Mass.) each recorded a pair of helpers. 
 
The trio started the evening with a quick goal off a faceoff following a Nichols infraction at 5:47 in the first. Shepherd won the draw and Porter had a stick in the action to setup Chiuccariello's team-leading 13th goal of the season. At 12:13 Freshman Cheyenne Boyd (Phoenix, Ariz.) sent a wrister past the Bison netminder on the blocker side. Porter and senior Caitlyn Farragher (Plymouth, Mass.) were credited with helpers on the play. Senior Samantha Zitzer (River Forest, Ill.) increased the Salve Regina lead to 3-0 as she found an opening on the blocker side with help from freshman Danielle Phalon (Stoneham, Mass.) at 18:39.
 
Salve Regina continued to hold the 3-0 advantage until Nichols sophomore Alyssa Bufis (Linden, N.J.) knocked home a feed from classmate Samantha Vicari (Wayne, N.J.) with 46 seconds left in the second frame. The play started as senior Stacey McGrath (Buffalo, N.Y.) won the faceoff and sent the puck to Vicari waiting in the left corner. The Seahawks then answered right back as sophomore Sarah Markey (Ashland, Mass.) deposited a rebound with five seconds left before the intermission as Shepherd and Chiuccariello each picked up their second point of the night.
 
Seahawk senior Kelsey Talty (Fairport, N.Y.) capped the scoring with an unassisted marker at 11:48 in the third period.
 
Salve Regina outshot the hosts 49-26 and went 2-for-7 on the power play while the Bison finished 0-for-3 with the extra skater advantage.
 
Senior goaltender Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.) turned away 19 shots in the first 40 minutes of play to improve to 15-10-0. Rookie Mariah Mosher (Auburn, Maine) was called upon to make six stops in her fifth appearance of the season. Nichols first-year Nia Kelly (Cary, N.C.) collected 44 saves – including 14 on the power play - and fell to 3-10-0 on the year.
 
Nichols (4-19-1, 2-14-1 ECACE) wraps up the 2012-13 campaign on Wednesday with a matchup against Holy Cross. The Bison are set to honor a pair of seniors prior to the 8:10 p.m. puck drop. Salve Regina (15-10-0, 11-7-0 ECACE) hosts Southern Maine for a 7:00 p.m. ECAC Northeast Quarterfinal contest on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.