HARRISVILLE, R.I. (Nov. 4) – The Nichols College women’s ice hockey team earned a 4-0 exhibition win over UMass Amherst Wednesday night in the Bison’s first action of the season at June Rockwell Levy Rink. Nichols opens the regular season at home Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in an ECAC East game against Salve Regina.
SueEllen Nault (Goffstown, N.H.) put the Bison on the board 5:28 into the game, converting a pass at the netfront from Cheryl Winter (Hollister, Calif.). Carrying a 13-6 shot advantage into the first intermission, Nichols kept the pressure on in the middle stanza, lighting the lamp twice for a 3-0 lead after two periods.
Ashley O’Donnell (No. Scituate, R.I.) finished off a breakout up the left side of the ice by Haylie Carter (Forney, Texas) by placing the puck in the upper right corner of the net at 13:56 of the second. Lauren Lepore (Arlington, Mass.) followed late in the period when she stuffed in a rebound sent in by Cheryl Pitts (Wakefield, Mass.) with just under 55 seconds remaining.
Mandy Manopla (West Palm Beach, Fla.) tacked on another goal for the Bison in the final period. She came up the ice on a two-on-one and decided to keep the puck on the right side, flipping it high into the net at 8:48 of the third. Carter earned the assist with the breakout pass.
Nichols netminder Christine Rigosi (Ridgeood, N.Y.) made 11 saves in two periods of shutout action before giving way to Melanie Spears (Woburn, Mass.) for the final frame. Spears made eight saves.
UMass goaltender Katie Avery (Lewiston, Maine) made 42 saves in the loss.
The Bison fought off five penalty kill situations, holding UMass to just two shots in the five opportunities. Nichols held a 46-19 shot advantage in the game and was 0-for-2 on the power play.
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