FALL RIVER, Mass. — First-year goaltender Kelly McKenna (Boston, Mass.) made 35 saves in her first collegiate start as the Roger Williams University Women's Ice Hockey team fell to Curry College, 3-0, in Conference of New England (CNE) action Saturday evening at Driscoll Arena.
Roger Williams moved to 0-3-1 overall and 0-2-0 in CNE play, while Curry improved to 4-0-0 overall and 2-0-0 in the conference.
McKenna stopped 11 of the 12 shots she faced during the opening period before turning aside 12 shots in both the second and third. She held the Colonels to one goal in each period and earned the second star of the game.
First-year defender Jordan Nash (Lyman, Maine) led Roger Williams with four shots on goal and added two blocked shots. Grace Collins (Billerica, Mass.) contributed three shots.
Morgan Vesco (Kamas, Utah) won a game-high 11 faceoffs while taking 16 draws for the Hawks. Remy LeBel (Damariscotta, Maine) won 10 of her 18 faceoffs and recorded a team-high four blocked shots. Roger Williams finished with 11 blocks and held a 25-22 advantage at the faceoff circle.
Sophia Robles, Bella Mardesich and Maria Steinbach scored for Curry. Maggie Fitzgerald, Rowan Wood, Morgan Buss and Jessi Schneider each contributed an assist. Colonels goaltender Coriann Hoag made 19 saves to record her second consecutive shutout against the Hawks.
Robles opened the scoring 8:54 into the first period, converting assists from Fitzgerald and Wood to give Curry a 1-0 advantage.
Roger Williams generated its strongest offensive pressure during the second period, placing 12 shots on goal after recording four in the opening frame. Mardesich extended Curry's lead at 5:14, scoring from Buss to make it 2-0.
The Hawks received their lone power-play opportunity at 15:31 of the second period, but Hoag made the only shot she faced during the advantage.
McKenna kept Roger Williams within two goals until the closing minutes of regulation. Steinbach completed the scoring at 18:35 of the third period off an assist from Schneider.
Curry finished with a 38-19 advantage in shots. The Roger Williams penalty kill held the Colonels scoreless on two power-play opportunities, while the Hawks went 0-for-1 with the extra skater.
Roger Williams continues CNE play Friday, Nov. 13, when it hosts the University of New England at Driscoll Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 5 p.m.
