BOSTON, Mass.  –  After a gauntlet of games against ranked opponents in December and a tough loss to kick off 2023 against Castleton University, UMass Boston Women's Ice Hockey looks to have found their footing over the course of their four-game homestand.

Fresh off a statement tie against eighth-ranked Norwich University, the Beacons handled business less than 24 hours later against New England College on home ice with a 2-0 victory on Saturday afternoon.

THE BASICS

UMass Boston 2, New England College 0

UMass Boston (7-9-1, 5-4-1 NEHC)

New England College (4-12-1, 1-8-1 NEHC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening 20 minutes was defined by offense for both teams as the Beacons and Pilgrims combined for 31 total shots on goal with UMass Boston holding a 20-11 edge in the category. The Beacon offense did not miss a beat from a night before as their persistence paid off to the tune of a power play goal from freshman forward Emily Hansen with a 5-on-3 advantage.

Senior forward Cailey Kozich and sophomore defender Margeaux Butters were the two assists behind the goal as the feed in from Butters ricocheted off senior goalie Sean D'Urso and onto the stick of Hansen for her fifth goal of the season to give the Beacons the 1-0 lead after one period.

UMass Boston would tack on another power play goal in the second period as Butters would record her second goal in as many days to cushion the Beacon lead, making it 2-0, with just under eight minutes left in the frame. Between the two circles, Butters fed Kozich on the right side and the senior forward relocated Butters in the same spot for a wrist shot into the top left of the goal mouth.

Despite continuing to pepper D'Urso with shots in the third period, the senior goalie would stand tall for New England College, but junior goalie Victoria Kennedy would match D'Urso's efforts for a full 60 minutes, holding the Pilgrims off the scoreboard for her second shutout of the season, as UMass Boston finished their homestand with a 2-1-1 record and moved to 5-4-1 in New England Hockey Conference play. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Victoria Kennedy made 28 saves on 28 shot attempts from the Pilgrims to earn her second shutout of the season
• Sean D'Urso fended off 51 of 53 shots taken by UMass Boston in the loss
• Freshman forward Sydney Leonard won 16-of-29 faceoffs that she took in the contest
• UMass Boston finished the game 2-for-6 on the power play while going a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill to cap off a 12-for-12 weekend in man down situations

 
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston will head on the road for two games, facing off against University of Southern Maine next Friday night at 6:00 PM. Earlier this year, the two teams met at the Edward T. Barry Ice Rink with the Huskies besting the Beacons, 4-0.