Women’s Ice Hockey’s Season Comes to an End in CCC Quarterfinal Round

BIDDEFORD, Maine (February 23, 2022) – The Western New England women's ice hockey team bowed out of the CCC tournament as the number five seed, falling to the hosting and four seeded Nor'easters of the University of New England by a final score of 2-0 on Wednesday night. 

Records:

• University of New England: 10-12
• Western New England: 7-15

How it Happened:
The Golden Bears and Nor'easters split the season series during the regular season, with both teams picking up a win, a loss, and a tie during the three-game set. In the elimination game tonight, neither team could put up a goal in the opening 20 minutes of play as the University of New England would go on and outshoot the Golden Bears 10-4 in the period. The two evenly matched teams would head into the second period knotted at zero.

It took until the 17:40 mark of the second period to find the game's first goal as the two evenly matched teams threw pucks on goal but both goaltenders, Rieley Jessie-Gerelli for the Golden Bears and Delanie Corcoran for the Nor'easters, would come away with big saves to keep the game scoreless. At the 17:40 mark into the second period, it would the University of New England who would score the game's first goal on a powerplay chance. Maeve Crehan would skate down the left wing and send the puck towards the back post where Carolyn Curley was position. Curley was able to lift a shot up and over the pad of Jessie-Gerelli to give the Nor'easters the 1-0 lead. Eliana Kane would pick up the secondary assist for the Nor'easters as they took a 1-0 lead heading into the break. Western New England would come away with nine shots in the second period, though they were unable to find the back of the goal for the second straight period.

In the first five minutes of the third period, Abbi Charvat would add an insurance goal for the Nor'easters to give UNE a 2-0 lead. Anna O'Neill and Keely Kasputis would grab assists on the second Nor'easter goal to double the lead. Western New England would push for a goal to get themselves back within one of the tie as Alyssa Murphy, Maddy Tucker and Alexa Paoli looked to take shots on Corcoran, though the UNE goaltender was up to the task tonight, saving all 20 Golden Bear shots on the night, sending the University of New England into the semifinal round, eliminating the Golden Bears from playoff contention by a final score of 2-0. 

Inside the Crease:

• On the night, Rieley Jessie-Gerelli made 33 saves on 35 shots on goal. In total, Jessie-Gerelli made 587 saves in 16 appearances. 
• Alexa Paoli, Sydney Conte, and Maddy Tucker took three shots on goal apiece for the Golden Bears while 11 different Golden Bears took at least one shot on the night. 
• In total, WNE was outshot 35-20. Western New England won 24 of 49 faceoffs on the night.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• With the loss, the inaugural season for Western New England comes to a close with a 7-15-4 record.
• With the win, the University of New England heads to Nichols College on Saturday, February 26. 

CCC News:

• Top seeded Endicott College with host #7 Curry College, who upset #2 Suffolk University in today's quarterfinal game. 
• #3 Nichols College advanced to the CCC semifinal game after defeating #6 Salve Regina University 3-2 in overtime.