Merrimack Picks Up Weekend Sweep With 4-1 Win Over Princeton
Freshman forward Courtney Maud posts two assists for Warriors

Freshman forward Courtney Maud had two assists for the Warriors
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 6:24  MER1-0 EV Katelyn Rae (6)Paige Sorensen/3, Courtney Maud/2
1st 11:18  MER2-0 EV GW Kate Bukolská (1)Annie Boeckers/2
2nd 10:47  PRN1-2 EV Keiko DeClerck (2)Amanda Harris/3, Sylvie Wallin/2
2nd 12:21  MER3-1 EV Paige Voight (2)Courtney Maud/3, Emily Volpe/3
3rd 19:05  MER4-1 EV EN Mikyla Grant-Mentis (5)Chloe Cook/1
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Princeton  0101
Merrimack  2114
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Princeton  810624
Merrimack  107724
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Princeton (2-7-3)  0/3 5/10 0
Merrimack (6-10-3)  0/5 3/6 0
Princeton Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Steph Neatby (L, 1-6-3)58:543 86620
Empty Net1:061     
Merrimack Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Samantha Ridgewell (W, 3-6-1)59:551 89623
Empty Net0:050     

NO. ANDOVER, Mass. - The Merrimack College women's ice hockey team completed the sweep of Princeton on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Tigers, 4-1, at Lawler Rink in a non-conference battle.

The Basics

Score: Merrimack 4, Princeton 1 | Final
Records: Merrimack (6-10-3) // Princeton (2-7-3)
Location: Lawler Rink | North Andover, Mass.

Rapid Recap:

Merrimack had two quick opportunities on an early powerplay at 3:17 of the first. Junior Paige Sorensen (Plymouth, Minn.) took a one-timer from the right side, which bounced off of the pads of Princeton goaltender, Stephanie Neatby. The rebound went right to junior Madison Morey (Fairbanks, Alaska), but Neatby corralled her shot.

Merrimack jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 6:24 mark of the first on a goal by junior Katelyn Rae (Courtice, Ontario).

The Warriors added a second goal at 11:18 mark of the first stanza, as freshman Kate Bukolska (Prague, Czech Republic) scored her first-career goal.

Junior Samantha Ridgewell (Outlook, Saskatchewan) picked up a pair of saves just before the four-minute mark of the second period, including a kick save with the right pad.

The Tigers cut the lead in half at 10:47 of the second to make it 2-1 in favor of Merrimack. However junior captain Paige Voight (St. Michael, Minn.) pushed Merrimack's lead back to two goals again at 12:21 of the second.

Ridgewell made three saves midway through the third period, along with a blocked shot to keep Princeton off the board in the third stanza.

Princeton pulled its goalie late in the third, but the Warriors held off the offensive pressure, before sophomore Mikyla Grant-Mentis (Brampton, Ontario) scored an empty-netter at 19:05 of the third.

Scoring Summaries

It was a rebounded goal by Rae at the 6:24 mark of the first that put Merrimack up by a goal. Freshman Courtney Maud (Georgetown, Ontario) looped the puck around the boards to Sorensen. Sorensen rocked a one-timer towards the net that was initially stopped, but the Rae was right there for the rebound to give Merrimack a 1-0 lead.

The Warriors extended their lead just under five minutes later. With the Tigers on a breakout, junior Annie Boeckers (Otsego, Minn.) forced a turnover in the neutral zone, poking the puck towards Bukolska. Bukolska skated down the boards, wrist a shot that hit the blocker of Neatby, before the puck trickled in over the line.

The Tigers cut the lead in half at 10:47 of the second on a goal by Keiko DeClerck on a rebound in front of the Merrimack net.

Merrimack again built a two-goal lead at the 12:21 mark of the second on a goal by Voight. The puck trickled into the front of the net and a crowd of players slapped at the puck. Neatby looked as though she had the puck, but her stick kicked it through her legs.

An empty-netter by Grant-Mentis at 19:05 of the third sealed the victory. A long pass up the boards by sophomore Chloe Cook (Summerland, British Columbia) led Grant-Mentis on the breakaway, who was able to finish.

Notes and Notables

- Merrimack's defense blocked a season-high 27 shots.

- Maud picked up her first multi-point game of her career with two assists.

- It was the second time this season the Warriors picked up back-to-back win during the regular season and the fourth time in program history.

- Grant-Mentis finished the weekend with a pair of goals, one coming in each game.

- Nine different Merrimack players registered a point.

- Goaltenders: W- Samantha Ridgewell (23 Saves, 3-6-1) // L- Stephanie Neatby (20 Saves, 1-6-3)

- Power Plays: Merrimack (0-5) | Princeton (0-3)

- SOG (MC-PU): 10-8 | 7-10 | 6-7 | 24-24

Up Next

Merrimack will have a week off before playing a home-and-home series with Hockey East preseason favorite, Boston College. The first game is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 8th in Chestnut Hill for a 7 p.m. puck drop, while the second game will be played at Lawler Rink the next day for a 4 p.m. tilt.