Providence Falls to Dartmouth, 7-3

Alyse Ruff had a goal and an assist for Providence.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Just three days removed from defeating #6 New Hampshire, the Providence College women's hockey team failed to defeat ranked opponents in back-to-back games and fell, 7-3, against #7 Darmouth in Hanover, N.H. With the loss, Providence becomes 11-9-2 (6-2-1 HE).

The big Green took the early lead at 2:56 when Amanda Trunzo fired a shot from the blue-line that Sarah Parsons tipped in for her the game's first goal.

The Friars looked to answer back as they earned a five-on-three advantage for 39 seconds at 4:24. Just 20 seconds in, Laura Veharanta (La Verne, Calif.) found herself with time on the left face-off circle. However, her shot towards the near post was denied with a left shoulder save by Clemis. PC earned another power-play opportunity at 13:29 and made good on the man advantage. At 14:24, senior Katy Beach (Cleveland, Ohio) pushed a faceoff in the Dartmouth zone back to Jennifer Friedman (San Gabriel, Calif.). Friedman settled the puck and sent a hard slap-shot towards the upper left corner. Clemis made the initial save but the rebound fell where sophomore Alyse Ruff (Tualatin, Ore.) could reach as she pushed it past the goal line for her ninth goal of the season. Beach and Friedman earned their sixth and third assists, respectively.

With 12 seconds remaining, PC found themselves on the power-play for the fourth time and nearly took the lead. With just four ticks left on the clock, Veharanta fired a quick wrist-shot from the slot that just missed finding the upper-right corner. After one, the Big Green held the lead in shots, 10-7.

The second period began with both teams creating quality scoring chances. At 2:02 Veharanta came into the Big Green zone with speed and faked a shot before dragging the puck around the Dartmouth defender. Her wrist shot rang off the right post as the score stayed tied, 1-1.

The deadlock would not last long, however, as Providence found itself again on the penalty kill. At 3:20 Dartmouth's Jenna Cunningham found time behind the PC net before sending a pass through the crease to Kelly Foley who lifted the puck just under the crossbar to give Dartmouth a 2-1 lead. The Friars would respond at 6:02 after a strong burst of pressure in the Dartmouth zone produced a shot for Kate Bacon (Chanhassen, Minn.). Clemis made the save but the rebound came right in front where Erin Normore (Cambridge, Ontario)was waiting all alone to score her fifth goal of the season, evening the score at 2-2. Bacon registered her third helper on the goal.

Six minutes later, Dartmouth would take its third lead of the game on a replay of the first Big Green goal. Julia Bronson sent a high shot towards the PC cage that was deflected in by Amanda Trunzo to put Dartmouth up, 3-2. The Friars would not go down easily as they tied the game at three with under three minutes remaining. Freshman Christie Jensen (Delta, B.C.) battled to win the puck at the PC blue line and sent a pass down the boards to Ruff as PC came in with a two-on-one advantage. Ruff sent a pass through the slot to Veharanta where the freshman forward coolly lifted the puck over the shoulder of the Dartmouth netminder for her team-leading 14th goal of the season at 17:23. Ruff notched her fourth assist and Jensen earned her first point as a Friar with the helper.

It looked as though the two teams would go into the locker room with a 3-3 score, but Dartmouth exploded for two goals just 24 seconds apart to claim their fourth and final lead. Foley knocked in a rebound for her second goal of the game at 18:11 before Reagan Fischer finished a breakaway at 18:35 to put the Big Green ahead after 40 minutes, 5-3.

Dartmouth would add two third period goals as the Friars were unable to beat Clemis the rest of the way as time finished off with PC down, 7-3. Clemis finished with 23 saves as the Big Green improved to 12-5-2. Lacasse stopped 25 shots and falls to 9-6 on the season.

The Friars are next in action as they start the home stretch of Hockey East action when they host Vermont for a pair of games at Schneider Arena. Game one begins at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday with game two on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. as well.