Oswego Women Defeat Neumann

 In the first meeting since last year's double-overtime game in the ECAC West Quarterfinals, the Oswego State women's ice hockey team avenged its playoff loss, defeating the Knights, 4-1, on Friday night at the Campus Center Ice Arena.

Forward Mackenzie Lee (Sr., Caledonia, N.Y.) scored twice on the power play, helping the Lakers to pick up their first victory since an overtime victory against Utica on November 11. It was their first home victory since November 6.

Although the Lakers controlled the tempo during the first half of the first period, it was Neumann that got on the board first on a goal by Lynsey Nakamura. Nakamura's goal was the result of a turnover in the Oswego State defensive zone. The Knights' Jennie Greeniee poked the puck from a defender and wristed a shot on net that was saved by Oswego State goaltender Catherine Cote (So., Val D'Or, Quebec). Greeniee's shot ricocheted off Cote and nearly crossed the goal line, but careened off the far side post. Nakamura collected the rebound on the left side and beat Cote for the game's first goal. 

Trailing by a goal after the first period, the Lakers tied the game at one on Lee's power-play goal at 12:23 of the second period. Just 13 seconds after a tripping penalty, Oswego State forward Melissa Seamont (So., North Bay, Ont.) fired a shot on net from the slot that was blocked aside by Neumann goaltender Shannon Donnelly. Lee corralled the loose puck in front of the net, putting the puck past Donnelly to tie the game at one. 

The Lakers took the lead late in the second period when forward and assistant captain Olivia Boersen (So., Stratford, Ont.) picked up a loose puck in the slot and slid the puck past a couple Neumann defenders for a 2-1 lead heading into the second period intermission. Moments before Boersen's goal, forward Carly Marchment (Fr., Courtice, Ont.) wristed a shot from the slot that deflected off the crossbar.

Oswego State increased its lead to two at 2:17 on forward Megan Howe's (So., Stratford, Ont.) second goal of the season. The Lakers' third goal was scored in similar fashion to their second goal, with the goal being preceded by a shot that deflected off the crossbar. Forward and assistant captainJillian Bergeron (Sr., Brockville, Ont.) saw her shot from near the blue line hit off the crossbar behind Donnelly. Howe collected the rebound on the far side faceoff circle and beat Donnelly stick side. 

Lee scored her second power-play goal of the game at 14:20 to give the Lakers a three-goal lead. Lee took a pass from forward Leah McNaughton(Sr., Embro, Ont.) in the slot and wristed a shot past Donnelly glove side. Lee leads the team with four goals this season. 

Cote finished with 21 saves for the Lakers and Donnelly finished with 32 saves for the Knights. 

The Lakers went 2-for-4 on the power play, while the Knights finished 0-for-4

The win improves Oswego State's record to 3-4-2 overall and 3-2-2 in ECAC West play. The loss drops Neumann to 1-5-2 overall and 1-5-2 in ECAC West play.