Women's Hockey Season Ends In CNE Quaterfinal, Falls to JWU 3-1
North Smithfield, RI - The Curry women's hockey team dropped a 3-1 CNE Quarterfinal matchup to Johnson & Wales on Wednesday evening in Rhode Island. The #6 seed Colonels (10-14-2, 5-11-2 CNE) despite leading 1-0 after the first period, they did not score again as the #3 seed Wildcats (14-11-1, 10-7-1 CNE) will advance to the CNE Semifinals.
Curry struck late in the opening period to take the first lead of the game. With just 46 seconds remaining in the first, Eleanor Rowe Smiley found the back of the net at 19:14 off a feed from Kylie Harrison. The Colonels carried that 1-0 advantage into the first intermission after a competitive frame that saw Johnson & Wales hold a narrow 11-10 edge in shots.
The Wildcats responded in the second period, capitalizing on a power-play opportunity. After Curry was assessed a bench minor for too many players on the ice at 14:34, Jordan Hopping evened the score at 15:05 with a power-play goal, assisted by Allyson Barry and Grace Adams. The teams entered the third period tied 1-1.
Johnson & Wales took control early in the third. Just 3:27 into the final frame, Grace Adams gave the Wildcats their first lead of the night, finishing a play set up by Hopping. Curry pressed for the equalizer but was limited to just four shots in the third period. Coriann Hoag kept the Colonels within striking distance throughout the contest, finishing with 27 saves on 29 shots in 59:31 of action.
With Curry pushing forward late, the Wildcats sealed the game with an empty-net goal from Kylie O'Keefe at 18:29, assisted by Barry.
Harrison led the Colonels offensively with seven shots on goal, while Morgan Slough went 18-for-27 in the faceoff circle. As a team, Curry won 35 of 60 draws but was unable to convert on its lone power-play opportunity. Johnson & Wales finished 1-for-3 on the advantage.
