Box Score

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - A four-goal third period propelled the Niagara women's hockey team (7-6-3) to a 5-1 win over the St. Cloud Huskies (1-11-1) Friday evening at Dwyer Arena. The Purple Eagles are now 5-1-3 in their last nine games.

The third period saw Niagara pour on the offensive pressure, as it looked to break a 1-1 tie.  The game winner was a slapshot off the stick of junior defender Erin Burns on the man-advantage, her first tally of the season.  

"I thought we started the game very well," said head coach Josh Sciba.  "They took it to us in the second ten minutes of the first period though.  The second period was a bit of a set back, but it was a 0-0 game going into the third.  We kept our foot on the gas and kept going on offense which is what I want.  I don't want them sitting back and they didn't panic which is great too.  I'm happy about that."

Forward Jessica Hitchcock, sophomore May Wilkerson and Daniela Dal Colle would add to the Niagara lead, en route to the 5-1 victory. 

"I think it's very reassuring as a coaching staff when you have other people step up and score, like May Wilkerson and Kalli Funk," added Sciba.  "We have other players who may not have gotten points, but responded in different ways in key situations too.  I thought Moses played well.  It was a good team effort, especially in the third period." 

After the first 20 minutes of play, neither team tallied a goal.  The Purple Eagles controlled play in the opening minutes, dominating possession and creating several scoring chances, while limiting the Huskies to only a few chances.  Though Niagara goaltender Sarah Moses did not see a shot until the 9:06 mark, St. Cloud amped the pressure in the second half of the period to outshoot Niagara 6-5. 

Niagara broke the scoreless game 7:35 into the second period.  Wilkerson and senior Leah Whittaker set up freshman Kalli Funk netted her fourth goal of the season.  Husky forward Molli Mott placed the puck past Moses with 42 seconds left in the period to even the game up at one.  The Purple Eagles outshot the Huskies 11-10, evening the shots at 16 a piece. 

Moses made 22 saves in the victory. Whittaker earned three assists in the last two games while Funk has notched two goals and an assist in the previous two games.
 
The Purple Eagles are now 7-6-3 in non-conference games, the most by the program since the 2007-08 season, where it picked up six. 

Niagara and St. Cloud will conclude its weekend series tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.