The fifth-seeded Oswego State women's ice hockey team closed its season with a tough 5-3 loss at No. 4 Utica College in the first round of the ECAC Women's West Championship on Thursday night. Oswego ends the year with a 16-8-2 overall record, which marks the third time in the last four seasons that the Lakers have won 15 or more games.
In the first period, the Lakers seemed poised to make it a long day for the home squad, opening the scoring less than five minutes into the contest. At 4:45, Jacquelin White was assisted by Eryn Stewart and Alexa Aramburu to put Oswego up 1-0. Utica quickly tied the game just 2:42 later but the Lakers had an even quicker reply. With the game tied at 1-1, Andrea Noss found White streaking up the ice to begin an odd-man rush. White dished a brilliant pass directly on to Olivia Ellis' stick, who had snuck behind the Pioneer defense. The junior than dangled the puck in front of the goalie as she crossed in front of the crease, burying the puck into the net. Ellis' goal regained the Laker advantage at 2-1 with 12:36 remaining in the first period.
The Pioneers were able to knot the game once again before the first intermission, sending both groups to the locker room with two goals apiece. Oswego captured its third lead of the game at the 9:53 mark of the second period. Classmates Noss and Ellis teamed up to find Aramburu for the contest's fifth goal and a 3-2 Laker lead. That would prove to be Oswego's final score of the day despite holding a 30-25 advantage on shots. Utica added two goals in the last 10 minutes of the middle period and tacked on an insurance goal early in the third to seal the win.
It was a dual effort in net for the Lakers, as Mariah Madrigal started and made six saves while allowing two goals. Freshman Amber Samonek entered the tilt in late in the first period and played the final 46:38, stopping 14 shots with three goals against.
Utica advances to face national- and conference-tournament-No.1 Plattsburgh on the road Sunday.
