BOSTON, Mass. – Junior forward Stacey Hochkins (New Boston, Mich.) netted a goal and assisted on two others to lead the Holy Cross women's ice hockey team over host University of Massachusetts Boston, 4-1, in an Eastern College Athletic Conference East contest at the Clark Athletic Center rink on the campus of UMass Boston. The Crusaders improve to 3-1-0 overall and 2-0-0 in ECAC East play, while the Beacons fall to 1-2-0 and 1-2-0.
Hochkins set up Holy Cross' first score of the day when she combined with sophomore forward Caroline English (Dorchester, Mass.) to locate senior forward Jocelyn Kratchmer (Watrous, Saskatchewan) for her fourth tally of the season just 3:25 into the contest.
The Crusaders wasted no time scoring their second goal of the game when senior forward Christina D'Ambrogio (Toronto, Ontario) and sophomore forward Rebecca O'Quinn (Arlington, Mass.) hooked up with junior forward Nicola Garat (Princeton, N.J.) just one minute into the second period for her third tally of the campaign and a 2-0 margin. UMass Boston cut the deficit in half on Katie Kirwan's first goal of the year with just 4:19 left to play in the middle period.
Hochkins collected her second helper of the afternoon with a feed on the power play to English, who wristed a shot into the top left corner of the back of the net for her second goal of the year. The score gave the Crusaders a 3-1 lead at the 7:04 mark of the third period. Holy Cross got an insurance goal less than three minutes later on the power play. Freshman defenseman Amanda Gallagher (Park Ridge, Ill.) found Hochkins for a slap shot blast that sailed high into the back of the net for her third marker of the season at 9:55 of the final period for a 4-1 score that would remain until the final whistle.
Holy Cross senior goaltender Monique Gallant (Antigonish, Nova Scotia) earned the victory for Holy Cross with 27 saves, while UMass goalie Leah Hallett stopped 23 shots for the Beacons. Holy Cross went 2-5 on the power play, while the Beacons were 0-6.
The Crusaders travel to Manchester, N.H. to take on league opponent St. Anselm College tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
