PROVIDENCE EARNS 600TH VICTORY IN 6-3 DEFEAT OF CORNELL
Jean O'Neill nets goal and adds two assists for Friars

Jean O'Neill had a goal and two assists for the Friars

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (January 9, 2010) - Providence College women's hockey made history yet again as the Friars earned their 600th victory by defeating No. 8 Cornell (8-6-2, 7-1-2 ECAC), 6-3. Providence (7-7-8, 4-3-4-2 WHEA) junior Jean O'Neill (Strafford, Pa.) tallied a goal and an assist to lead the Friars. Sophomore goaltender Genevieve Lacasse (Scarborough, Ontario) made 22 saves to record the historic victory. After becoming the first Hockey East team to defeat UNH in Durham, N.H., Providence now joins New Hampshire as the only two programs with 600 victories.

The Friars took the lead at 8:19 when Kate Bacon (Chanhassen, Minn.) put home a rebound following a Leigh Riley (Lexington, Mass.) shot from the left point. Senior Arianna Rigano (Malden, Mass.) also assisted on the play. The goal was Bacon's third of the season while Riley and Rigano registered their second and fifth assists on the play. Providence doubled the lead at 9:55 when O'Neill lifted a wrister over the left shoulder of Cornell goalie Katie Wilson for her fourth goal of the season. Freshman Jessica Cohen (Anchorage, Alaska) recorded her seventh assist with the pass.

Cornell's Chelsea Karpenko scored a power-play goal at 13:25 but the Friars answered back to make it 3-1 at the end of the first period. Freshman forward Jessica Vella (Pickering, Ontario) put home her third goal of the year at 18:32 with a shot from the high slot. O'Neill and sophomore Jennifer Friedman (San Gabriel, Calif.) assisted on the play.

The Friars added two more in the second with goals from junior Alyse Ruff (Tualatin, Ore.) and sophomore Christie Jensen (Delta, B.C.). Ruff's goal was her eighth of the season and her fourth in the last three games. Jensen banked the puck off the Cornell goaltender from behind the net to record the first goal of her career.

The two teams exchanged goals in the final period with sophomore Abby Gauthier (Lynn, Mass.) scoring for PC and Kendice Ogilvie hitting the net for Cornell.

Today's victory marks the third historic moment for the Friars this season. PC defeated Northeastern in the longest shootout (13 rounds, 26 shooters) in league history back on November 8 before becoming the first Hockey East team to defeat UNH in Durham on December 5. Providence will look for another memorable victory when head coach Bob Deraney earns his 200th victory. With today's result, Deraney now stands a mere three wins away from becoming only the second coach in PC history to earn 200 victories.

The Friars will host Cornell for game two at 2:00 p.m. in Schneider Arena on Sunday. For ticket information, visit Friars.com or call 401-865-GoPC.