SALEM, Mass. – Freshmen
Maddie Wiggins (Loveland, Colo.) and
Sofia Cuozzo (Guilford, Conn.) each scored as the Plymouth State University women's ice hockey team defeated Salem State University, 2-1, at Rockett Arena on Saturday evening to complete a weekend sweep.
The game was tight early, with both teams trading power plays until Wiggins fired a shot from the point through traffic for the game's opening goal.
The Vikings answered in the second period with a shorthanded goal, but the Panthers responded quickly. Cuozzo finished a slick feed from junior
Emily Gerrie (Littleton, Colo.) with a top-shelf shot for her second goal in as many nights. The Panthers hung on from there, thanks to strong goaltending from junior
Teagan Wilson (Salisbury, Mass.), who earned her second win of the season.
Plymouth State improved to 2-0-0, while the Vikings fell to 0-2-0.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 2, Salem State 1
- Plymouth State (2-0-0)
- Salem State (0-2-0)
How it Happened:
- The Panthers had the first power play five minutes into the game, but the Salem State goaltender kept the game scoreless.
- Midway through the first, Plymouth State killed off a 5-on-3, but Wilson made seven saves to kill off both minor penalties.
- Plymouth State struck first when senior Morgan Cunningham (Wrentham, Mass.) won a faceoff to freshman Claire Deis (Calgary Alberta). Deis set up Wiggins, who scored from near the blue line.
- Freshman Erika Johnson (Salt Lake City, Utah) nearly added another goal during four-on-four action, but her shot hit the post.
- In the second period, the Vikings tied the game with a shorthanded tally.
- Plymouth State regained the lead on the same power play when junior Jamie Steinmetz (Madison, Wis.) passed to Gerrie, who found Cuozzo for a one-timer past the Salem State goalie.
- Wilson preserved the one-goal lead in the third period, stopping multiple shots during a scoring threat about seven minutes in.
- Salem State pulled its goalie with just over 90 seconds left, but the Panthers held on. Johnson nearly added an empty-net goal, but her backhander struck the outside of the post.
By the Numbers:
- Wilson stopped 25 of 26 shots.
- Wiggins scored her first career goal.
- Deis recorded her first collegiate point with an assist.
- Cuozzo scored for the second straight game.
- Plymouth State outshot Salem State, 27-26.
- The Panthers won 25 of 48 faceoffs.
- Plymouth State has won four of the last five meetings against Salem State.
- PSU last opened the season with consecutive wins in 2021-22.
- The Panthers are unbeaten in their last seven games dating back to last Feb. 8.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State returns to the ice on Friday (Nov. 7) when Keene State visits Hanaway Rink for both teams' inaugural Little East Conference (LEC) game.
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