CANTON, Mass. (January 30, 2026) – WNE traveled out to eastern Massachusetts looking to keep their win streak going with a crucial conference game versus Curry College. Maddie Pope and Jenna Lynch combined in the first and second periods of play to lift WNE to a 2-0 lead through two. However, a Colonel's goal early in the third shifted the momentum. However, it would not be enough to break the Golden Bears as they held on for a 2-1 victory versus the Colonels.

Records:
Western New England: 12-6-0 (8-3-0)
Curry College: 9-8-1 (5-6-1)

How it Happened:
First Period:

• Mabel Gerard won the opening faceoff to start the game for WNE. The Colonels had most of the shots early in the contest. They looked to be building momentum, and a WNE penalty helped the momentum for the Colonels. WNE let up two shots but killed off the power play.
• 12:51 into the contest, the score would change in favor of the Golden Bears. Mabel Gerard found Maddie Pope, who netted the game's opening goal, and WNE led 1-0 in the first. The Colonels had eight of the final eleven shots in the first, but could not even the score before the intermission.
• The Golden Bears outshot the Colonels in terms of shots on goal, 9-8, in the first. That extra shot was the difference in score, 1-0. Both goalies, Rachael Irving of WNE and Coriann Hoag of Curry College, had 8 saves.

Second Period:

• The Golden Bears and Colonels traded shots early in the second period of play. WNE had an early power-play lead with four shots, but no goals. The Colonels then had a power play seven seconds later. Again, the Golden Bear penalty kill let up two shots but not goals.
• The teams went back and forth after that, but it was the Golden Bears capitalizing late in the second after six consecutive shots. Their seventh was a Jenna Lynch goal, assisted once again by Mabel Gerard. WNE had a 2-0 lead with 2:53 left in the second period of play.
• The second period of play came to a close with WNE trailing in shots on goal 11-8 but leading on the scoreboard 2-0. Irving had more saves, 11-8, compared to Hoag in the second.

Third Period:

• The Colonels would get back in the game early in the final period of play. Hannah Grzybowski found the back of the net on an unassisted goal 2:05 into the third. The momentum looked to be sliding the way of the Colonels.
• The Colonels sent shot after shot towards the goal, but after a little while, the Golden Bears responded with shots to settle the Curry College momentum. Then, with 7:25 left, the Colonels had a power play, but just as they had done all game, WNE's penalty kill would deny the Colonels a power play goal, which led to a plethora of WNE shots.
• The Colonels emptied the net with 1:28 left in the contest. They had seven shots after that, but Irving and the Golden Bear defense stood strong and would run out the clock to earn their fifth win in a row, 2-1.

Inside the Crease:

• The Golden Bears defeated the Colonels in Canton, Massachusetts, on Friday.
• Maddie Pope scored the first goal, with Jenna Lynch scoring the second.
• Mabel Gerard led the team with 2 points, both assists. Gerard also led WNE with 10 faceoff wins.
• Rachael Irving made 31 saves to earn the win for WNE.
• WNE won 19 faceoffs to Curry College's 31, but had more blocked shots, 19-9.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears and Colonels will travel to West Springfield on Saturday, January 31, 2026, for their second game of the home-and-home series at the Olympia Ice Center at 7:30 PM.