PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore
Gracie Menicci (Pepperell, Mass.) put the exclamation point on a key weekend sweep by scoring her first collegiate goal as Plymouth State University blanked New England College, 3-0, in a crucial Little East Conference (LEC) women's ice hockey contest at Hanaway Rink on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Panthers completed the weekend sweep and leapfrogged the Pilgrims for the final playoff spot. PSU, now with 16 points, sits two points shy of fourth in the conference standings with four games remaining. The top six teams qualify for the LEC Tournament, with the top four seeds earning home games.
The team's annual
Morgan's Message game – an initiative aimed at eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community – remained scoreless through the opening period. Plymouth State seized control in the middle frame, scoring twice in an 80-second span. Junior
Grace Bonnell (Madison, Wis.) blasted a one-timer off a faceoff win to open the scoring, and senior
Katie Porrello (Milford, Conn.) – who inched closer to the program's career points record – doubled the lead with a wraparound goal just over a minute later.
Menicci added the icing on the cake midway through the third period for her first career goal, while freshman
Jorja Moore (Penticton, British Columbia) secured her third shutout of the season between the pipes.
Plymouth State improves to 11-10-0 (5-9-0 LEC), while the Pilgrims dip to 5-17-0 (4-12-0 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, NEC 0
- Plymouth State (11-10-0, 5-9-0 LEC)
- NEC (5-17-0, 4-12-0 LEC)
How it Happened:
- After a scoreless first period, Plymouth State finally broke through 7:32 into the second. Senior Morgan Cunningham (Wrentham, Mass.) won an offensive-zone faceoff, and Bonnell fired a one-timer inside the left post to make it 1-0.
- Porrello doubled the margin less than two minutes later, collecting a rebound, skating behind the net, and stuffing a wraparound attempt past the NEC goaltender for a 2-0 lead. PSU carried the two-goal advantage into the second intermission.
- Menicci created shooting space around a defender and snapped a wrist shot into the top-left corner with 7:30 remaining to extend the lead to 3-0.
- Moore came up big late, denying a 1-on-0 shorthanded chance with 5:25 left to play, sealing the post before recovering to stop the rebound and close out the important league victory.
By the Numbers:
- Porrello's goal was her team-leading seventh of the season and 20th of her career, tying her for second all-time. Her 54 career points are just two shy of the program record.
- Porrello won 21-of-29 (72.4%) faceoffs after going 13-of-17 in Friday's contest.
- Bonnell recorded her sixth goal of the season.
- Moore made 13 saves to earn the shutout.
- Plymouth State held a 51-13 shot advantage, including an 18-1 edge in the second period.
- Neither team converted on the power play. Plymouth State went 0-for-5, while NEC finished 0-for-4.
- Plymouth State has won nine of the last 10 meetings and leads the all-series, 20-14-3.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State remains home for a series with Southern Maine next weekend, starting Friday (Feb. 13) at 6 p.m.
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