Press Release

SACRED HEART RALLIES, DOWNS PURPLE KNIGHTS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                           FOR MORE INFORMATION December 7, 2003                                                                          Contact: Seth Cole                                                                                                      Phone: (802) 654-2537 SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – Sacred Heart University rebounded from a two-goal deficit with six unanswered goals to defeat Saint Michael’s College, 6-2, in women’s ice hockey action on Sunday at Cairns Arena. The hosts opened the scoring 5:40 into the contest. Freshman Melissa Gagne (Eliot, Maine) fired a shot from the point that was turned aside by Pioneers’ netminder Jennifer Barris (Amherst, Ohio). Junior Meg Lyons (Boxborough, Mass.) pounced on the rebound and deposited a backhand attempt. Sophomore Michelle Miaskiewicz (Salem, Mass.) also collected an assist. Just 2:10 later, Saint Michael’s doubled its lead, as freshman Katie Grable (Vista, Calif.) redirected a shot past Barris, with classmate Martha Salois (Winthrop, Maine) earning an assist. Sacred Heart (6-5-0) responded early in the second period with a pair of power play tallies. Freshman Michelle Panella (Marlboro, N.J.) got the Pioneers on the scoreboard just six seconds after a Purple Knights’ body checking penalty, and junior Kristina Derita (W. Collingswood, N.J.) evened the score two minutes later. The Pioneers took the lead for good late in the stanza, connecting on two even-strength goals. Freshman Erin Barry (Pompton Plains, N.J.) scored what proved to be the game-winner with 5:58 left in the frame, and sophomore Kylie Ammel (White River Junction, Vt.) tallied Sacred Heart’s fourth goal of the period with 2:55 remaining. Saint Michael’s comeback attempt was hurt by penalties, as the Purple Knights were whistled for four infractions in the second period and committed the game’s first seven penalties. Sacred Heart put the game out of reach with a pair of scores midway through the final period. Panella gave the Pioneers a 5-2 lead, capping off a two goal, three assist game, and sophomore Sarah Turbert (Norwalk, Conn.) completed the scoring with 6:07 to go. Ammel finished with a goal and three assists, Derita added a goal and two helpers, and Barris and freshman Stephanie Boulay (Anchorage, Alaska) combined to stop 29 shots for the Pioneers. Junior Marcy Ring (No. Attleboro, Mass.) finished with 46 saves in a losing effort. Saint Michael’s (0-8-1, 0-4-0 ECAC East) is off until 2004, as the Purple Knights next host the Rochester Institute of Technology in a weekend series Friday and Saturday, Jan. 9-10.   GAME SUMMARY Sacred Heart                 0          4          2          --6 Saint Michael’s              2          0          0          --2 First period: Scoring: 1. SMC, Lyons (Miaskiewicz, Gagne), 5:40. 2. SMC, Grable (Salois), 7:50. Penalties: Grable, SMC (body checking), 2:31; Villedrouin, SMC (hooking), 15:41. Second period: Scoring: 3. SAC, Panella (Felt, Ammel), 2:38 (pp). 4. SAC, Derita (Ammel, Panella), 4:36 (pp). 5. SAC, Barry (Derita, Panella), 14:02. 6. SAC, Ammel (Panella), 17:05. Penalties: Grable, SMC (body checking), 2:32; Lyons, SMC (body checking), 3:07; Grable, SMC (holding), 5:55; Lyons, SMC (interference), 14:52.  Third period: Scoring: 7. SAC, Panella (Derita), 7:55. 8. SAC, Turbert (Ammel), 13:53. Penalties: Talbot, SMC (hit from behind), 1:45; Derita, SAC (hit after whistle), 1:45; Salois, SMC (tripping), 9:32; Ammel, SAC (body checking), 10:50; Felt, SAC (high sticking), 16:24; Ammel, SAC (cross checking), 16:38; Barry, SAC (tripping), 19:42.    Shots: SAC (15 – 18 – 19 – 52), SMC (13 – 11 – 7 – 31). Saves: SAC, Barris (13 shots, 11 saves), Boulay at start of second (18 shots, 18 saves); SMC, Ring (52 shots, 46 saves).   For complete box score, click here. ###PURPLEKNIGHTS###

For more information please contact the SMC Sports Information Office at (802) 654-2537
Last Revised: October 25, 2002