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Jill Zelonis
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NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara University women’s hockey team hung tough against No. 7 Mercyhurst, but eventually fell in defeat 4-2 in the semifinals of the College Hockey of America Tournament at Dwyer Arena on Friday night. The loss finishes Niagara’s season at 9-22-4.
Head coach Margot Page was happy about how her team played against the Lakers.
“Jill [Zelonis] came up big on several occasions, as we played with a lot of confidence tonight,” stated Page. “We played even with them in the third period.”
The first period began with Mercyhurst coming on strong. Jill Zelonis (Ashburn, Va.) made a few key saves early, even getting help from the post. Mercyhurst would finally make it 1-0 on a strong individual effort by Stephanie Jones, as the muscled her way to the net and slid it past the sophomore netminder. Mercyhurst led 1-0 after one period of play, where they outshot Niagara 19-4.
The second period saw Mercyhurst again ramp up the offensive pressure. Just fifty seconds in, Zelonis came up huge, as she stopped Meghan Agosta point blank. Niagara got it going on offense, as Ashley Riggs (Pickering, Ont.) peppered a few shots on Laura Hosier, but the Laker netminder was more then up to the task. Mercyhurst held a strong 32-13 shot total after two periods, but were only up 1-0.
The third period started off quickly, but this time it was for Niagara. Mary McKinnon (Summerside, P.E.I.) took a shot from the slot which beat Hosier low, glove side to knot the game at one. Just five minutes later, Mercyhurst would take back the lead as Natalie Payne took a shot that handcuffed Zelonis and trickled into the net. The Lakers increased their lead to 3-1 three minutes later on an odd play, that saw Zelonis sprawl to make the save, when a Laker came in for the loose puck, which she pulled back and got to Valerie Chouinard who beat the out of position Zelonis.
The Purple Eagles kept at it, as with Zelonis on the bench, Melanie Mills (Flamborough, Ont.) and Riggs helped to set up McKinnon for her second goal of the night to cut the deficit to one. With the goalie still pulled, Niagara looked to tie it, but Agosta took it the length of the ice to cap the game at 4-2.
Zelonis made 40 of a possible 43 saves for the Purple Eagles, while Hosier stopped 23 of 24 shots for the Lakers.
