Box Score

HARRISVILLE, R.I. – Senior Francesca Palazzo (Bernardston, Mass.) stopped a season-high 55 shots as the Nichols College women's ice hockey team fell to No. 4 ranked Norwich University 3-0 in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's East action Saturday night at Levy Rink.

The Cadets had seven different student-athletes receive a point in the contest and improved to 19-3-0 (14-0 ECAC East) on the season. Norwich has now outscored its opponents within the conference 57-5.

Sophomore defensemen Taylor Cross (Saugus, Mass.) got things going for Norwich at the 14:06 mark of the first period with a shot from the left point that found its way through the legs of Palazzo. Senior Tori Charron (Tecumseh, Ont.) was credited with an assist on the play.

The Cadets connected on their next goal at 4:18 of the second period. Sophomore Madison Gallagher (Kirkland, Que.) fired a shot from the right boards which was tipped in by freshman Adelle Murphy (Roseau, Minn.). Junior Vanessa Champagne (St. Nazarie, Que.) picked up her third apple of the season was credited for the secondary assist.

Norwich added its third goal at 12:30 of the same stanza when senior Haley Gibson (Richmond, Ont.) sent it over to her classmate Meghan Papagno (Wakefield, Mass.). Papagno wristed a shot by Palazzo and inside the right post to put the game at 3-0.

The Bison (4-19-0, 2-12-0 ECAC East) had single-digit shots in each period. The Cadets outshot the Bison 58-15 for the game. Senior Megan Gerein (Dubuque, Iowa) led all Bison with four shots while junior Grace Murphy (Montclair, Va.) picked up three shots. Junior Loren Carrier (Chandler, Ariz.) stopped all 15 shots on her way to her fifth shutout of the season.

 "You are never happy when you lose, but what it comes down to is we are playing the No. 4 team in the country and we competed for 60 minutes," said Nichols first-year head coach Wil Brown. "I commend Fran Palazzo, who not only kept us in the game, but gave us a chance to win."

Nichols travels to Worcester, Massachusetts to take on Holy Cross on Friday in a conference match beginning at 7:00 p.m. Norwich hosts New England College Friday at 4:00 p.m.