By Jacob Posik
The University of Maine women’s hockey team fell to the No. 10 Quinnipiac University Bobcats twice this weekend by a combined score of 9-2. The Black Bears slip to 0-3-1 on the season, while the Bobcats remain unbeaten at 5-0-1.
The Black Bears were plagued by penalties in their 4-0 defeat Friday night, and were incapable of capitalizing on scoring opportunities.
The scoring began for Quinnipiac in the first period when senior center Kelly Babstock took a wrist shot that clapped off the torso of UMaine sophomore netminder Meghann Treacy. Starting sophomore left winger Nicole Connery scooped up the rebound and fired a shot past Treacy to put Quinnipiac up 1-0 heading into the first intermission.
The second period was scoreless, with both teams missing out on two power play chances. Quinnipiac was in control for most of the period and possessed the puck in the UMaine zone, but Treacy held strong in net to keep the Black Bears within one heading into the final period.
The Bobcats poured it on in the final frame. Just 1:02 into the third, freshman right winger Emma Woods scored on a slap shot from the point that buzzed by a screened Treacy. Babstock earned the assist on the play.
Quinnipiac struck again with nine minutes to go when sophomore defender Cydney Roesler passed the puck to a wide open Taryn Baumgardt on the power play. The freshman snapped one by Treacy to increase the lead to three.
UMaine junior forward Hailey Browne got a 5-minute major penalty for a shot to the head with just over three minutes remaining in the game. Quinnipiac enjoyed a 36-20 shot advantage on Friday, thanks in large part to the Black Bears’ five penalties.
The Bobcats capitalized on the 5-minute major when junior forward Anna Borgfeldt received a pass from senior defender Shelby Wignall before finding the back of the net to bring the score to 4-0.
The second game of the weekend between these two teams was a little more competitive, but Quinnipiac remained in control from beginning to end to pace themselves to a 5-2 win despite two goals from UMaine freshman forward Karissa Kirkup.
Babstock and Woods connected three times to propel the Bobcat offense Saturday afternoon.
The scoring began in the first period when Babstock received a pass from Woods just inside the slot and sent a wrist shot past Treacy for her first tally.
Babstock scored a pair of goals in the second period to complete her hat trick to add to tallies by senior captain Amanda Colin and sophomore defender Lindsey West that put Quinnipiac up 5-0.
UMaine found the back of the net for the first time on the weekend when Kirkup sent a wrist shot past Quinnipiac junior goalie Chelsea Laden for her first goal as a Black Bear. She added her second on an assist by junior forward Jennifer More with just over three minutes remaining in regulation.
“We were getting more shot opportunities, and I was glad to see one go in,” Kirkup said. “I think we needed some confidence, and I knew once we got one, we could put more on the board.”
The Black Bears were outshot 28-11 Saturday afternoon.
Before Kirkup’s first tally, Treacy was pulled in net and replaced by freshman goalie Mariah Fujimagari. Fujimagari allowed only one goal in 30 minutes of ice time for the Black Bears. Coach Richard Reichenbach hasn’t announced who will start in net for the Black Bears for the first game of their two-game set at Mercyhurst University Oct. 25-26.
“We’re in a hole right now, but I’m not complaining,” Reichenbach said. “If you look at our schedule, we have one of the hardest starts in the country. We still have a long way to go, and I know these girls can win.”
Quinnipiac travels to Cambridge, Mass. to take on Harvard University Oct. 25.