Box Score

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – Senior Grace Murphy (Montclair, Va.) scored late in the third period to force overtime before the No. 7 Nichols College women's ice hockey team fell 3-2 to No. 2 Salve Regina in the first round of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's East Tournament Saturday evening at St. George's Ice Rink.

The Bison end their season with the best record in program-history at 8-18-0 while the Seahawks move on to play Castleton in the Semifinal Round on Saturday.

After being blanked in both matches during the regular season, it was the Bison that got on the scoreboard first. At 18:30 of the first period, senior Talia Hohmann (Marina, Calif.) broke down the right side of the ice and centered a pass in front of the net where junior Julia Mastrototaro (Holden, Mass.) hit a one-timer past sophomore goaltender Colleen Marcik (Madison, Conn.).

Nichols took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

Salve Regina (16-8-1) answered back at 7:45 of the second stanza. Junior Danielle Phalon (Stoneham, Mass.) – ECAC Women's East First Teamer – beat senior netminder Tori Gianformaggio (Huntington Beach, Calif.) to even the score. Sophomore Michelle Holmes (Goffstown, N.H.) was credited with the assist on the goal.

Later in the second period the Seahawks took their first lead of the game when senior Taylor Shepherd (Quincy, Mass.) put one into the back of the net while playing with the extra-skater. Phalon and senior Michaela Chiuccariello (Winchester, Mass.) each had apples on the play.

The third period went back and forth with no pucks for either team getting into the back of the net. With just 2:43 remaining in the period, senior Lisa Coskren (Norwood, Mass.) fought her way to a puck behind the net and passed it to the front of the net. Murphy was able to gain position in front of the net and slip the puck under the glove of Marcik to tie it up 2-2.

The Bison had their best opportunity of overtime come in the early minutes when freshman Laura Christie (Hudson, Mass.) broke free down the left side, gained the blue line, and made a move by one defender before having the puck poked away as she pulled back for her shot just in front of the net.

At 6:40 Shepherd gathered the loose puck and closed in one-on-one with Gianformaggio before putting the puck in the back of the net for the win.

The Seahawks outshot the Bison 32-16 for the game, including 4-0 in overtime. Senior Alyssa Bufis (Linden, N.J.) and sophomore Samantha DiReda (Shrewsbury, Mass.) paced the Bison with three shots while Shepherd led the Seahawks with nine.

Gianformaggio falls to 7-12-0 on the season after stopping 29 shots. Marcik made 14 saves in the win and moves to 14-7-0 on the year.