SAVAGE AND ESPOSITO LEAD NORTHEASTERN PAST BOSTON UNIVERSITY, 4-2
Sophomore Paige Savage has goal and two assists while senior Brittany Esposito scores twice for Huskies

Sophomore Paige Savage had a goal and two assists for the Huskies

BOSTON - Sophomore Sarah Lefort scored her 19th goal of the season, but the No. 9 Boston University women's ice hockey team suffered a 4-2 setback against Northeastern on Sunday afternoon at Walter Brown Arena.

BU (16-6-1, 9-3-0 WHEA) nearly erased a 3-1 third-period deficit, but Northeastern (9-12-2, 5-6-2 WHEA) scored an empty-net goal with 15 seconds remaining in regulation to secure both points.

Lefort's marker moved her back into a tie for first in the nation in goals and her assist on senior captain Louise Warren's 16th strike of the season vaulted her into sixth alone with 34 points. Juniors Caroline Campbell and Shannon Stoneburgh, along with freshman Sarah Steele, all added an assist. Senior goaltender Kerrin Sperry stopped 30 shots in the loss.

After a scoreless first period, NU took a 1-0 lead 31 seconds into the second stanza when Kelly Wallace deflected a Paige Savage shot past Sperry. Senior Taylor Holze nearly had the equalizer late in the period thanks to a 2-on-1 rush with sophomore Rebecca Russo. After freshman Maddie Elia took a collision to make play, Russo carried the puck up the left wing and sent a pass across the crease to Holze. Desjardins was in position to make the save, however, and keep the Huskies' lead at 1-0.

Savage made it 2-0 with 47 seconds remaining in the middle frame. She kept the puck in the BU zone and then went to the front of the net. Katie MacSorley got to a loose puck along the right half-wall and passed it to Savage, who beat Sperry.

Warren got the Terriers on the board at the 4:50 mark of the third period. She won an offensive-zone faceoff back to Lefort, who passed it to Campbell at the right point. Campbell's shot was blocked, but the puck caromed to Warren, who collected it and beat Chloe Desjardins (32 saves).

After Brittany Esposito's power-play goal made it 3-1, Lefort answered at the 14:36 mark. The puck cycled to Steele, who slid it across the top of the zone to Stoneburgh. The junior defenseman's shot whistled wide but took a fortunate bounce off the end boards and right to Lefort. The sophomore forward banked it off of Desjardins and into the back of the net.

The teams were 4-on-4 in the final two minutes when Sperry was pulled in favor of an extra attacker. BU pressured, but Esposito blocked a shot and capitalized on the empty net to seal the game.

BU will hit the road for a weekend series with Vermont on Jan. 24-25. Puck drop on Friday night is set for 7 p.m.