THE BASICS:

Score: Holy Cross 5, Colby 4

Records: Holy Cross (10-2-0, 4-2-0 NEHC); Colby (2-5-1, 1-2-1 NESCAC)

Location: Worcester, Mass. (Hart Center)

Date: Saturday, December 12, 2015

Time: 3:05 p.m.

The Lead:  Sophomore Emily Lissner (Woburn, Mass.) scored the game-winner in overtime action as Holy Cross posted three consecutive goals to come back from a two-goal deficit and defeat Colby 5-4.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• At 5:21 of the first period, sophomore Kara Violette (Biddeford, Maine) received a pass from senior Mackenzie Boardman (Anchorage, Alaska) just outside the crease, hitting a wrist shot that went just over the cross bar.
• The Mules took the lead in the first period at 7:38. Anna Rudinski scored a power play goal from the left side of the blue line. Kat Mackey marked the lone assist.
• At 10:04, the Crusaders scored the equalizer. Sophomore Lauren Abbenante (Cranston, R.I.) hit a slap shot that was blocked by a Colby defender. On the rebound, junior Erin Hall (Pembroke, Mass.) took a wrist shot from between the faceoff circles that went into the bottom glove side corner of the net.
• Holy Cross had a series of shots in the final minute of the first period on a power play. As the clock dwindled down, senior Megan Meskill (Minneapolis, Minn.) hit a shot that went inches wide, as the score remained 1-1. The Mules outshot the Crusaders 11-9 in the first period. Colby was 1-for-2 on the power play while Holy Cross was 0-for-1.
• Hall netted the go-ahead goal for the Crusaders at 5:51 in the second period, making it a 2-1 game. From outside the left faceoff circle, Hall chipped a wrist shot over the stick side of Colby goaltender Angelica Crites. Lissner posted the assist.
• Sophomore goaltender Tessie Salatas (Laval, Quebec) made a remarkable save at 15:32 in the second period to maintain the lead as she deflected a hard hit slap shot from Eleanor Knutzen to prevent a goal.
• However, the Mules tied it up at 17:13 in the second period as Jackie Seymour scored a deflection goal that found its way over the goal line.
• Bella Papapetros followed with Colby's third goal of the night handling the puck down the middle of the ice and hitting a shot through the legs of Salatas late in the second period at 19:54.
• Holy Cross outshot Colby 12-5 in the second period, as the Crusaders were 0-for-2 on the only two power plays.
• Katie McLaughlin increased the Mules' lead to 4-2 at 4:01 in the third period, scoring an unassisted goal from the left side of the extended goal line off a wrist shot that traveled across and over the stick side of Salatas.
• At 16:41 in the third period, sophomore Kelsey Goostrey (Jackson, Mich.) scored the third goal for the Crusaders. Senior assistant captain Kati Goguen (Acton, Mass.) won a faceoff, as Goostrey obtained possession of the puck from the slot, placing a wrist shot over the glove of Crites to make the score 4-3.
• Freshman Julie Matthias (Thornton, Colo.) scored a shorthanded goal for the Crusaders to tie the game up at 11:09 in the third period. Receiving a pass from Goguen outside the right faceoff circle, Matthias rocked a slap shot past the stick side of Crites.
• Matthias stole the puck at 19:11 in the third period, taking it to the slot and ripping a slap shot that was saved by Crites.
• Holy Cross outshot Colby 16-1 in the third period. The Mules were 0-for-1 on the power play while the Crusaders went 0-for-3.
• Then at 1:42 in overtime play, Lissner scored the game-winner as she found the loose puck in the crease and tapped it in the open net. Matthias and Abbenante earned the assists.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Sophomore goaltender Salatas made 14 saves and allowed four goals to earn the win in net for Holy Cross.
• Crites made 34 saves, letting up five goals.
• The Mules outshot the Crusaders 39-18.
• Holy Cross was 0-for-5 on the power play, while Colby was 1-for-3.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• The Crusaders have now won six straight games.
• Holy Cross marks their best start since the 2011-2012 season when the team was 9-1-2 through their first 12 games.
• Lissner marked her first goal of the season and game-winner with her score tonight.
• Matthias has at least one point in each of her last six games.
• Salatas is now 3-0-0 with a .926 save percentage and 1.98 GAA through her first three career starts.

UP NEXT:

• The Crusaders will return to action when they travel to Rutland, Vt. on Jan. 2 to face Manhattanville in their opening game of the Rutland Herald Invitational at 6:00 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED:

• Follow the Crusaders on Twitter @HCrossWHockey. You can also get the latest news and results on the team sent directly to your e-mail. To sign up for e-mail alerts go here.