WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (January 10, 2026) – The Western New England women's ice hockey team could not overcome a three-goal deficit late in the third period despite getting within one goal late, falling on Saturday night to the Lakers of Oswego State by a final score of 6-3. 

Records:

• Western New England: 7-6-0
• (RV) Oswego State: 7-5-0

How it Happened:

First Period:

• It took Oswego just 54 seconds in the first period to find a goal when Meagan Smith beat Avery Sharma, who was making her first career collegiate start for Western New England on Saturday, giving the Lakers a quick 1-0 lead. Leah Coley and Kayla Doerre picked up assists on the goal. WNE's first shot on goal came four minutes into the period when Lilly Ainley had the chance, turned aside by Oswego's Mia Devivo. 
• Oswego had multiple chances to add to its lead as the tough offense of the Lakers peppered the WNE defense and Sharma, but Sharma was up to the task, making four saves at the midway point of the opening period to keep Oswego from doubling its lead. Michalea Birmingham had Western New England's best chance at a goal in the first period, coming with three minutes remaining in the frame, taking a shot off the post. 
• The Lakers took over the final two and a half minutes of offense, taking nine shots total, but none that found the back of the net. Oswego had 16 shots in the opening period, 15 saved by Sharma. WNE took just five attempts at goal.

Second Period:

• Western New England came alive in the second period and found the first goal of the period to even the score at one when Lilly Ainley sent the puck around the boards, finding Mikayla Mrzywka behind the goal, who skated around the cage, found open ice down the slot, and ripped the puck past the glove of Devivo and into the net for her fifth goal of the season, evening the score at one. Oswego took 3:59 to answer and grab the lead back when Meagan Smith got on a loose puck and buried it into an empty net with Sharma out of the cage, giving the Lakers a 2-1 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the period. 
• Oswego had even more chances in the second period as the WNE offense went quiet at the midway point of the period. The Golden Bears blocked seven shots on the period while Oswego sent eight shots wide of the cage in the period overall. 
• In the late stages of the second period, Oswego battled for a puck at the cage after a save from Avery Sharma, but the puck was found by the stick of Elizabeth Cooley, who put the shot into the net right before the second period expired, giving Oswego a 3-1 lead at the end of the period. Tilly Pethrick and Julia Power had assists for Oswego on the goal that gave the Lakers the two-goal lead heading into the final 20 minutes of action. 
• Oswego put up 19 shots on goal in the period, forcing 17 saves from Sharma. WNE had nine of their own, eight saved by Devivo. 

Third Period: 

• Looking for a third-period comeback, the Golden Bears got an early chance from Mabel Gerard, whose shot was saved by Devivo. Oswego then skated down the ice and scored their fourth of the night and third from Meagan Smith, who netted her fifth of the season to put the Lakers ahead 4-1. The WNE defense was shut down through the midway point of the period, putting just three shots on goal with half the period left to play. 
• Western New England built momentum with five minutes left to play after a pair of shots from Ainley and Katie Collins helped the Golden Bears beat Devivo when Michaela Birmingham took a pass from Jenna Lynch and skated down the wing, taking a shot from the circles and finding twine, giving WNE momentum in the game, down 4-2 with 4:58 remaining. Birmingham scored her fourth of the season. 
• Just 1:44 later, on a Western New England power play, Maddie Pope jammed home a rebound chance with the net empty for her fifth goal of the season on assists from Lynch and Birmingham, putting the Golden Bears back within one again, trailing 4-3 with 3:24 to play. The Golden Bears then pulled Sharma for the extra attacker with 2:13 left in the period, which quickly doomed the Blue and Gold, as Oswego cashed in on an empty netter with Katie Demers scoring her first career goal, giving Oswego a 5-3 lead. The Lakers added another goal with the goalie pulled for WNE, adding to their lead when Kayla Doerre also scored her first of the season, ending the game in favor of Oswego, 6-3. 

Inside the Lines:

• Avery Sharma made 35 saves for the Golden Bears in her collegiate debut, giving up four goals on the night. 
• Mikayla Mrzywka, Michaela Birmingham, and Maddie Pope had goals for the Golden Bears. 
• Meagan Smith sparked Oswego with a hat trick, taking seven shots, and was a +5 on the ice for the game. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• Western New England returns to the ice for Conference of New England action on Tuesday, January 13 at 1:30 PM, hosting Johnson & Wales University.