PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College women's ice hockey team split the weekend home series with the Syracuse Orange following a 4-1 loss on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Schneider Arena. The Friars record moves to 3-3-0 overall and the Orange improve to 2-4-0 on the season with the win.
After the first period of play, Syracuse held the edge over Providence with the lone goal in the first twenty minutes. Caitlin Roach drove to the Friars net from the left face-off circle and slid the puck past Providence goaltender sophomore Sarah Bryant (Bethlehem, Pa.) at 13:42 of the first period. After outshooting the Orange, 13-6, in the first period, the Friars trailed 1-0.
Syracuse added two goals in the second period to extend their lead to 3-0. Allie LaCombe notched the first goal of the period following a scramble in front of the Friars net while on the power-play. Brittney Krebs assisted on the game-winner at 1:17 of the second period.
The second goal came at 3:50 of the period, after a battle for possession of the puck in the left face-off circle, Margot Scharfe gained control of it before firing a shot from the slot that beat Bryant. Scharfe was assisted on the play by Melissa Piacentini.
After the Friars held the Orange scoreless on a 5-on-3 power play for 1:32 in the third period, junior Beth Hanrahan (Poolesville, Md.) scored for Providence to cut the Orange's lead to 3-1. Junior Brooke Simpson (Boxboro, Mass.) had a breakaway but was stopped by Syracuse goaltender Jenesica Drinkwater. Classmate Allison Micheletti (Grove Heights, Minn.) collected the rebound and got off a shot which Hanrahan found the rebound of in the crease to put the Friars on the board at 5:15 of the final frame. Micheletti's assist on the goal marks her first point of the season.
Syracuse responded right back as Julie Knerr scored to regain the three goal lead for the Orange. The final goal of the game came at 9:24 of the third period and proved to be too much for the Friars to overcome.
Bryant made 16 saves in the game while Drinkwater stopped 25 shots for Syracuse. Despite the loss, the Friars outshot the Orange, 26-20, in the game.
The Friars return to the ice next weekend in their first Hockey East series of the season. Providence travels to Boston, Mass. to play the Northeastern Huskies at Matthews Arena on Friday, Oct. 25 at 7:00 p.m. The two teams play the second half of the home-and-home series on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 3:00 p.m. at Schneider Arena. Saturday's game will be televised live on Cox Sports.