Rutland, Vt . – The women's ice hockey team defeated Castleton State by a score of 3-2 Saturday afternoon to win the Rutland Herald Invitational for a second straight year. The Crusaders improve to 8-5-0 overall while the Spartans fall to 8-6-0.
The Crusaders and Spartans exchanged goals in the first period of play in the championship game at the Rutland Herald Invitational. Holy Cross netted the first goal of the game as junior Nicole Giannino (Bay Shore, N.Y.) slipped it past the Castelton State goaltender as the puck hit part of the pipe. Giannino recorded her sixth goal this season giving her a total of 12 points. Sophomore Taylor McGee (Pearl River, N.Y.) earned the assist on the opening goal with 9:41 in the first period
Anna Daniels got the Spartans on the board to tie it up at 1-1 as she blasted a shot just beyond the blue line with four minutes and change left in the first period. The assists were credited to Nicoline Jensen and Lisa Kilroy.
To begin the second period of play Castleton State went on a 5-3 opportunity but were unable to produce any points. A back handed power play goal by Kylee Sullivan (Arlington, Mass.) got Holy Cross a 2-1 advantage in the second period. Sullivan recorded a goal in back-to-back games in the Rutland Herald Invitational. Junior Rachel Miller (Jackson, Mich.) and freshman Izzy Bagi (Branford, Conn.) picked up the assists. Sophomore Kati Goguen (Acton, Mass.) scored the second power play goal for Holy Cross with 3:56 left in the second stanza. Bagi and McGee paved the way for the assists. It was Bagi's sixth and McGee's third assists on the year.
Castleton cut the deficit to 3-2 with a power play goal by Kilroy with 8:33 in the final stanza. The assists came way via Jensen and Brie Narodowy. Kilroy and Jensen had two points each in the game. The Spartans had an extra skater on the ice but it was not enough as the Crusaders were able to earn the victory this afternoon at the Rutland Herald Invitational.
The Spartans held a 32-31 shot advantage over the Crusaders in the game. Castleton State notched a total of 24 shots in the second and third period.
Junior Alexandra Stevenson (Norwood, N.Y.) finished with 30 saves for the Crusaders and was selected to the All-Tournament team after gaining the win. She now holds a 5-2 mark on the season. Paula Stephens took the loss despite making 27 saves between the pipes.
Joining Stevenson on the All-Tournament team was Holy Cross teammate Kylee Sullivan. After racking up two goals and two assists on the weekend, Giannino was named Tournament MVP.
Holy Cross is back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the Hart Center against Sacred Heart. Game time is at 7:00 p.m.
All-Tournament Team
Anna Daniels - F - Castleton
Kylee Sullivan - F - Holy Cross
Sarah Markey - F - Salve Regina
Melissa Boudreau - D - UNE
Hannah Wright - D - Castleton
Alex Stevenson - G - Holy Cross
Tournament MVP
Nicole Giannino - F - Holy Cross
