WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (February 15, 2025) The Western New England women's ice hockey team honored their second-ever graduating class on Saturday afternoon prior to puck drop. The Golden Bears would score the opening goal against the Nor'easters of the University of New England but would see UNE come up with the next four in the game and could never fully make a comeback, dropping the third of three games this regular season to the Nor'easters, falling 5-2 on Saturday afternoon from the Olympia Ice Center.

Records:

•        Western New England: 12-8-2, 6-7-2 CNE
•        University of New England: 10-10-1, 7-6-1 CNE

How it Happened:

The Nor'easters, having defeated WNE in both games of the season series thus far, took the first two shots on goal on WNE starting goalkeeper Luciana Robertelli, forcing two early saves for the WNE senior. Alyssa Murphy had the first shot on goal for Western New England in the opening period, making a save from Kristen DiCooco. Western New England would get the majority of the offense through the first ten minutes of the frame with eight of ten shots going WNE's way. No goals would come from the eight shots for the Golden Bears, however. UNE would have four consecutive shots blocked by the WNE defense while Robertelli would make a save on a Grace Flannery chance. Following the save, WNE would move up the ice and get the first goal of the game as Valerie DuVal scored her fifth goal of the season on a wrist shot from just past the blue line, sticking the shot just underneath the crossbar, giving WNE a 1-0 lead. Allison Walker earned an assist on the play for the Golden Bears. It would take UNE less than four minutes to answer with a goal. After killing off a penalty, the Nor'easters would pick up a goal from Hannah Humes on a wrister that slid past Robertelli, evening the score at one. The period would end with WNE leading 10-5 in shots on goal. WNE outshot UNE 26-9 overall in the frame and won 10 of the 14 faceoffs.

The University of New England would waste little time in finding the back of the net in the second period, scoring just 22 seconds into the frame when Adria Tebo tipped home a shot from Jamie DuPont, putting UNE ahead 2-1. Western New England would look for the tying goal in the game but could not find one five minutes into the period. Both teams would exchange shots through the midway point of the second period, but UNE would hold onto their 2-1 lead. Western New England would have their best chances come on back-to-back shots with Alyssa Murphy and Alexa Paoli getting two shots on goal in quick order, but UNE's Kristen DiCooco would stand tall. UNE would reward DiCooco with a power play goal just 21 seconds into the power play when Lainie Lemieux faked a shot and made a pass over to Mackenzie O'Leary, who fired in UNE's third of the afternoon with 6:09 to play in the second period, handing the Nor'easters a two-goal advantage. WNE would grab two shots on a late power play chance but could not come up with any sort of goal in the second period, trailing 3-1 after 40 minutes of play. UNE had the shots on goal advantage in the second period, 10-9, but the Golden Bears had 24 total shots in the period.

Western New England has the better of the play to open the first third minute of the game as DiCocco would make four early saves on Western New England, who pressed on UNE down by two goals in the game. Western New England would go on the penalty kill six minutes into the third period, and it would cost them as the Nor'easters would come up with their fourth goal of the night to take a 4-1 lead. Lainie Lemieux would score her first goal of the season for UNE on the goal. Down by three, WNE would need a goal quickly in hopes of getting back into the game. Allison Walker would nearly have two goals back-to-back, but both would hit the crossbar and bounce out, keeping WNE from scoring. With 4:24 left in the game, Michaela Birmingham would come up with her fourth goal of the season, putting WNE back within two with some life in the game. Zoe Galanoudis would win a puck battle and scoop the disc to Emma Birmingham. Emma would find teammate and sister Michaela, who rifled a shot into the back of the net, getting the Nor'easter lead back down to two. WNE would pull their goalkeeper down by two and would go six-on-four after UNE was assessed with a penalty, but the Nor'easters would quickly find the back of the net on a shorthanded goal as Lemieux had her second of the game and second of the season, giving UNE a 5-2 edge, a score which they held for the rest of the game, taking down the Golden Bears for the third straight time this season.

Inside the Lines:

•       Western New England's Valerie DuVal scored the opening goal of the game, her fifth of the season. DuVal had six shots in the game.
•       UNE blocked 20 shots on the night, led by Eliana Kane, who had four.
•       Luciana Robertelli made 18 saves for the Golden Bears in the losing effort.
•       WNE was 33/53 in the faceoff circle.

Up Next on the Schedule:

·      WNE will play two big conference games next week to decide the seeding of the upcoming CNE playoffs. The Golden Bears host Nichols College on Friday, February 21, at 8:00 PM before traveling to Suffolk University on Saturday, February 22, at 4:50 PM.