Statistics
BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England women's ice hockey team received two goals apiece from
Anna O'Neill and
Piper Desorcie on the way to a 6-0 triumph against Plymouth State University at the Harold Alfond Forum on Saturday night (Oct. 28).
Only three times in program history has a win seen a larger margin of victory (8, 7, 7), and two of those results were shutouts. The Nor'easters are now 1-1 after the opening weekend, while it was the season opener for the Panthers.
Scoreless through 27 minutes, O'Neill booked her first multiple-goal outing with tallies at 7:30 and 9:49 of the 2nd period. The first was unassisted
[Watch];
Danielle McCarthy and
Mia LaPlante assisted on the second
[Watch]. UNE kept the pressure on and
Hannah Humes came away with another score 2:06 later, with helping credit to rookies
AJ Villandry and
Averi Curran [Watch].
After getting outshot 11-9 during the initial stanza, the Nor'easters flipped things to 13-6 in the middle frame en route to the three-goal lead.
LaPlante -- a graduate transfer from William Smith College -- then netted her first goal in a UNE uniform at 3:45 of the 3rd period on the power play
[Watch]. Humes and
Lainie Lemieux factored in the scoring play.
It wasn't 4-0 for very long, as Desorcie got on the board at the 6:02 mark with a drive from the left point
[Watch]. Lemieux had a hand in that tally, as well, along with
Keely Kasputis.
Desorcie then capped the performance while the Nor'easters were shorthanded inside the final five minutes. Desorcie won a faceoff just outside the defensive zone back to
Eliana Kane, who dumped it the length of the ice. Kasputis beat the Panthers to it behind the net and centered it to Desorcie for the finish
[Watch].
In all, six different players notched two points for the hosts, who were backstopped by a 22-save night from goalie
Delanie Corcoran; her sixth career shutout. Additionally, UNE chipped in with 21 blocked shots in front of Corcoran, of which Humes accounted for six.
Amelia Julian turned away 25 attempts in the setback for Plymouth State.
The UNE win also marked the first in the head coaching career of
Cassandra Sherman, who started in September.
The Nor'easters will now prepare to begin Commonwealth Coast Conference action next weekend with a home-and-home series versus Western New England University. Friday's puck drop is 7 p.m. at the Forum.
