NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Sophomore
Lilli Warnock (Bernardsville, N.J.) potted her first career hat trick while Plymouth State University exploded for the most goals in more than five years as the Panthers soared past the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, 7-1, in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) women's ice hockey action at Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rink on Friday evening.
Warnock opened the scoring just 2:09 into the contest, and senior
Libby Carter (Franklin, Mass.), who finished the night with two goals herself, made it 2-0 late in the opening frame.
The Trailblazers got a power play tally early in the second period, but Warnock snagged the puck in the neutral zone and picked up speed for a self-created breakout chance before beating the MCLA goalie five-hole midway through the frame.
Senior
Robyn Grant (Airdrie, Alberta) got into the action with her fourth of the year two minutes later and Carter made it 5-1 with her second of the evening with 2:16 left in the stanza.
Warnock completed the hat trick at the 6:06 mark of the third and sophomore
Laura Castronova (Hauppauge, N.Y.) completed the offensive outburst with a short-handed marker, her team-leading 11th of the year, with just under five minutes left.
Plymouth State moves to 14-6-1 (9-1-1 MASCAC), while the Trailblazers slide to 8-10-0 (2-6-0 MASCAC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 7, MCLA 1
- Plymouth State (14-6-1, 9-1-1 MASCAC)
- MCLA (8-10-0, 2-6-0 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State wasted little time getting on the scoreboard when Warnock received a pass in the slot and beat the MCLA goalie just 2:09 into the contest.
- The Panthers doubled the margin with just under four minutes left in the frame when senior Brenna Smith (Medfield, Mass.) fired a shot from the right side. Junior Katie Porrello (Milford, Conn.) deflected the shot to Carter, who fired a shot inside the left post and PSU carried the 2-0 lead into the intermission.
- MCLA cut into the margin with a power play goal early in the second period, but the Panthers closed the stanza with a flurry.
- Sophomore Jamie Steinmetz (Madison, Wis.) poked the puck free, and Warnock scooped it up in the neutral zone before gaining speed up the right side. She slipped past a defender and stuffed a backhanded shot to the five-hole to restore the two-goal margin with 8:59 left in the period.
- Just over two minutes later, Porrello skated in for a two-on-two, before flipping a perfect feed to Grant, who was trailing the play. Grant whipped a shot from the left circle over the goalie's blocker to extend the lead to 4-1.
- Freshman Gracie Menicci (Pepperell, Mass.) hit Carter in the defensive zone and Carter flew up the ice and past the MCLA defense before notching her second of the night on a shot from the left circle with 2:16 left in the stanza to make it 5-1 heading to the third period.
- Warnock completed the hat trick at the 6:06 mark of the third. Menicci sent a perfect feed to senior Emily Biggin (Didsbury, Alberta) in the slot. Biggin's initial blast was stopped, but Warnock was there to tap in the rebound.
- Castronova capped the night with her team-leading 11th tally of the year. With PSU on the penalty kill, senior Emily DeSimone (Norwood, Mass.) won an offensive zone faceoff and Castronova teed up a slapper from the circle to account for the final score.
By the Numbers:
- Warnock's three goals were a career high. She becomes the second Panther to record a hat trick this season, joining Porrello, who potted four, in a 4-3 overtime win at Worcester State in November.
- Carter recorded her first career multi-point game with her personal best two goals.
- Biggin, Porrello and Menicci posted two assists apiece.
- Thirteen different Panthers registered points, while PSU outshot the Trailblazers by a 70-17 margin.
- Sophomore Karlee Lehner (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) was the beneficiary of the outburst, improving to 11-2-0 on the year after making 16 saves.
- The Panthers controlled the faceoff circle, winning 37-of-58 (63.8%). Graduate student Carsen Moffett (Kamloops, British Columbia) won 12-of-15 to lead the way.
- MCLA finished 1-for-3 on the power play.
- PSU's seven goals were the most since pouring in eight during an 8-3 win over St. Michael's on Nov. 26, 2019.
- Plymouth State won a pair of one-goal games in the teams' earlier matchups this season.
Up Next:
- The Panthers host Rivier for a MASCAC clash at Hanaway Rink on Saturday (Feb. 8). PSU will celebrate its Senior Day along with the annual Teddy Bear Toss with puck drop set for 2:00 p.m.
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