BOSTON, Mass. - The Manhattanville women's hockey team rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to secure an overtime win over ECAC East rival UMass Boston by the score of 5-4 (OT) on Friday afternoon. The overtime goal came off the stick of sophomore
Taryn Harris (Morrison, Colo./Colorado Selects), helping the Valiants improve to 5-3-3 in conference play with her first goal of the season.
Freshman Sarah Sinning (Southold, NY/National Sports Academy) turned recorded a career-high two goal performance, her first goal coming just 3:39 into the first period when she finished a set-up play from fellow sophomore Kayley Romano (Viera, Fla./Boston Shamrocks).
After taking a 1-0 lead into the second period, the UMass Boston Beacons scored the next three straight goals, all in a span of just over five minutes. Junior forward Michaela Faia scored the first goal before assisting on the second goal which was put away by Alli Bianchini at the 5:48 mark of the second.
Less than two minutes later the Beacons increased their lead to 3-1 when senior forward Alexandra Karlis scored her third goal of the season, when she scored an unassisted goal on senior goaltender Kirsten Shaughnessy (Le Center, Minn./LeSueur-Henderson St. Peter).
With just over five minutes remaining in the period senior Sydney Asselstine (Hartington, Ontario/Nepean Wildcats (PWHL)) tallied her fourth goal of the season, a power play goal, which was set up by a shot from the blue line by fellow senior Rachael Morrison (Ridgefield, Conn./Sound Shore Warriors (MAWHL)), who recorded assists on three straight Valiant goals.
Trailing 3-2 in the third period, UMass Boston seemed to be pulling away as they snuck their fourth goal past Shaughnessy, with just 14:39 remaining in the third period. Coach David Turco, looking to spark his team, pulled Shaughnessy in favor of freshman goaltender Ekaterina Nikonova (Lybertcy, Russia/King's Edgehill School).
The Valiants rallied around the young freshman goaltender, scoring two goals and limiting UMass Boston to just one shot on goal for the remainder of regulation. Senior Aubrey Bachand (Harwichport, Mass./Vermont Academy) picked up her sixth goal of the season to cut the deficit to 4-3, and less than two minutes later Sinning picked up her second goal of the game, tying it at 4-4 with 5:35 left in the third.
Dominating play for the remainder of the game and into the overtime period, the Valiants quickly jumped on UMass Boston, keeping play in the Beacons' end before the sophomore, Harris, scored unassisted on a shot from the point at 1:27 to seal the comeback for Manhattanville.
The Valiants now have a relatively quick turnaround as the team travels to Burrillville, R.I. tomorrow to take on Nichols College for the second leg of the conference weekend. The Valiants defeated Nichols at Playland Ice Casino, 5-0 on November 7.
