PROVIDENCE COLLEGE DEFEATED BY DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, 4-2

Junior defenseman Rebecca Morse had two assists for the Friars

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College women's ice hockey team fell to Dartmouth College on Monday, Dec. 31, 4-2. The loss brings the Friars overall record to 8-9-4 and home record to 6-3-2.

The Big Green were first on the board with a goal from senior Jenna Hobeika at 6:07 of the first period. Hobeika put in a shot from the backdoor on a two-on-one play with classmate Reagan Fischer.

Dartmouth extended its lead just minutes later on the power-play. Sophomore Samantha Zeiss fired a puck past freshman goaltender Sarah Bryant (Bethlehem, Pa.) at 8:25 of the first period. Senior Sasha Nanji assisted on the play when she left the puck in the slot for Zeiss to walk into, giving Dartmouth a 2-0 lead.

The Friars were not deterred and fought back to get on the board before the end of the first period. Freshman Lexi Romanchuk (San Jose, Calif.) notched her second goal of the season at 11:50 of the first period. Junior Rebecca Morse (Westfield, N.J.) collected the puck from freshman Molly Illikainen (Grand Rapids, Minn.) along boards before going around the net to find Romanchuk at the point. Romanchuk fired a one-timer shot past Big Green goaltender Lindsay Holdcroft to bring the score to 2-1 in favor of Dartmouth.

Halfway through the second period Dartmouth extended their lead to two with a power-play goal at 9:47 from freshman Ailish Forfar. Forfar was assisted on the play by sophomore Karlee Odland and freshman Lindsay Allen.

Heading into the third period the Friars were outshooting the Big Green 24-10. Bryant made three saves, while Holdcroft made 13 in the second period.

Senior Nicole Anderson (Jordan, Minn.) cut Darthmouth's lead to one with a power-play goal 4:06 into the third period. Senior Jessica Vella (Pickering, Ontario) started the play when she carried the puck into the offensive zone for the Friars off a Dartmouth turnover. Morse, with her second assist of the game, picked up the puck from Vella and fired a shot that was saved by Holdcroft. Anderson collected the rebound to put it in upstairs with a backhand shot.

Darthmouth found the back of the net once more at 14:15 of the third period to seal the win. Hobeika fired a shot from the right side of the ice that left a bouncing puck in front of the net. Senior Camille Dumais came flying into the zone before having the puck bounce off her and past Bryant.

Providence outshot Dartmouth 34-20 and went one for five on the power-play.

The Friars are back in action Saturday, Jan. 5 when they travel to New Haven, Conn. to take on the Yale Bulldogs. The puck will drop at 4:00 p.m. in Ingalls Rink to kick off 2013 play for Providence.