ADRIAN, Mich. – Bouncing back from a tough loss Friday night, the Manhattanville College women’s ice hockey team took down Finlandia 4-3 in their final game of the Bruiser Bowl hosted by Adrian College.
Freshman Lillie Ryan (Newport, N.S./King’s Edgehill (NAPHA)) scored her first career goal, and sophomore Cassandra Kent (Lake Placid, NY/Northwood) recorded a goal and an assist to lead the Valiants (4-7 overall) past Finlandia (0-13 overall) Saturday afternoon.
Between the pipes, freshman goaltender Rose Pijaca (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Academy) continued her solid play, making 34 saves on the afternoon to pick up her second victory of the season.
Manhattanville wasted no time finding the back of the net, as freshman Jordan Roetzer (Buffalo, N.Y./Niagara Junior Purple Eagles) continued her hot play on the ice, scoring her third goal in four games just over one minute into the game. After the two teams went back and forth, recording a combined 31 shots in the period, the Valiants found themselves up 1-0 heading into the first intermission.
The Valiants began the second period just as they did the first, this time with Kent beating Lion goaltender Taylor Gustafson again just over a minute into the period to make it a two-goal lead. Sophomore Melissa Stys (Pequannock, N.J./Kent School) found the back of the net just five minutes later to make it a three-goal advantage for Manhattanville but the Lions would not go down without a fight.
In a game that featured a combined 15 penalties, the Lions were the first to take advantage of the power-play, when Alena Fiala scored just over the midway points of the period to cut the deficit to two late.
The Valiants were able to hang on to the 3-1 advantage heading into the third period, but Finlandia would continue to put pressure on the Manhattanville defense in the final period of play. Midway through the period, Sierra Miners took advantage of a Manhattanville mistake on the power-play, and broke away down the ice for a shorthanded goal to make it a one-goal game. Lillie Ryan (Newport, N.S./King’s Edgehill (NAPHA)) would respond for Manhattanville however, scoring late in the period to put the game out of reach for good. Finlandia was able to tack on a late goal but it was not enough as Manhattanville was able to hold on for their fourth victory of the season.
Manhattanville will finally return to Playland Ice Casino on Friday for their first home game in 52 days when they take on Southern Maine in a New England Hockey Conference showdown. Puck drop for that game is scheduled for 4:00 P.M.
