Women’s Hockey Ties UNE, 1-1, Wins Shootout

BIDDEFORD, Maine – Suffolk women's hockey may have struck first, but University of New England responded and neither team managed to gain an edge in regulation or the extra session for the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) contest to end in a 1-1 stalemate Friday night at Harold Alfond Forum.  

Alessia Di Silvestro, who was responsible for the Rams goal in regulation, and Bella Schmidt each potted the puck in the shootout to push the blue-and-gold past the Nor'Easters, 2-1.

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1 | University of New England 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-7-1, 2-4-1 CCC) | University of New England 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Di Silvestro put Suffolk on the board 4:26 into the first frame with help from Maddie Gagliano. 

The Rams maintained that one-goal margin until 9:03 of the second period when Piper Desorcie leveled the playing field with aid from Mia LaPLante and Adria Tebo. 

After a nearly even third, with Suffolk outshooting UNE, 9-8, the game remained locked at 1-all at the end of the 60 minutes. 

Neither team got a shot on target in the extra five to for things to end in a 1-1 draw.  

In the shootout, both netminders denied the first two attempts. Di Silvestro lit the lamp for the Rams and Laainie Lemieux answered for the Nor'Easters. Schmidt put the puck past the goal line to give the Rams a 2-1 edge and Lily O'Neil ended Jamie DuPont to send Suffolk to shootout glory.  

NETMINDER NOTES

• O'Neil registered 25 saves in the tie. 
• Delanie Corcoran logged 33 stops in the stalemate. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Di Silvestro was responsible for the Rams lone goal, while Gagliano dished out the only assist. 
• Suffolk outshot UNE, 34-26. 
• The Rams dominated face offs, 35-16. 
• UNE went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the blue-and-gold was unable to capitalize on its three man-up chances. 

NOTEWORHTY

• Suffolk went to its first shootout in program history. 
• The Rams skated in overtime for the first time in the Abby Ostrom era. 
• The OT outing is Suffolk's first since a 3-2 overtime victory over Nichols Feb. 4, 2023. 
• Suffolk moved to 6-1-3 all-time against the University of New England. 
• The Rams remain unbeaten, 3-0-3, in Biddeford, Maine, versus UNE. 
• The Rams are 1-1-3 in OT outings against UNE. 
• Suffolk and UNE went into overtime for the first time since Feb. 3, 2023 and fifth time overall. 
• Five of the seven meetings between the Rams and Nor'Easters needed overtime to decide a winner. 
• Di Silvestro scored her third goal of the season. 
• Gagliano handed out her second assist of the year. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
A rematch is in store for Suffolk and UNE tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 2 when the Nor'Easters stop by Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink for a 4:50 p.m. clash.