The University of Maine Black Bears (3-11, 2-8 HEA) travel to Storrs, Conn. to face the University of Connecticut Huskies (8-4-1, 3-2-0 HEA) on Friday, Nov. 18, falling 5-3 in a game that was the Huskies’ from the start. Despite the Black Bears’ comeback in the last two periods, it was not enough to tie up the game.
The Black Bears did not see any scoring action until the last minute in the second period, where first-year forward Vendula Pribylova was able to find the back of the net on the power play. This was Pribylova’s first goal of the season. Third-year forward Catherine Tufts got the assist on the play.
Two minutes into the third period Pribylova was able to find twine for the second time this game. This time first-year Tereza Vanisova and third-year forward Brooke Stacey got the assist. This split the score in half to 4-2. UConn was able to find the back of the net soon after this goal, when first-year forward Catherine Crawley found the back of the net on the power play opportunity, off an assist from second-year defender Jaime Fox and fourth-year defender Jessica Stott. This brought the score to 5-2.
Maine returned this goal about a minute later when Stacey netted a goal off an assist from Pribylova and Vanisova, bringing the game to the final score of 5-3. Maine was unable to find the back of the net again before the end of the game, falling to the Huskies with a two-point deficit.
The Huskies dominated the game for the first two periods, netting goal after goal to bring the score to 4-0, before the Black Bears found the back of the net.
Second-year defender Kayla Mee found twine to net the first goal of the game about four minutes into the game. First-year forward Erica D’Errico got the assist on the goal. First-year forward Briana Colangelo netted the second goal of the game four minutes later, finishing the scoring for the period.
UConn’s Fox started the scoring for the second period of the game off an assist from Crawley, eight minutes into the period. This was Fox’s first goal of the season. Seven minutes later, Colangelo scored her second unassisted goal of the game to bring the Huskies score to 4-0. This was Colangelo’s fourth goal of the season.
Redshirt first-year goaltender Carly Jackson got the loss, letting in the first four goals of the game. Fourth-year goaltender Mariah Fujimagari replaced Jackson in the net with five minutes left in the second period and played the rest of the game in the net for the Black Bears. Jackson stopped 10 out of 14 shots, while Fujimagari stopped seven out of eight shots on goal. UConn’s third-year goaltender Annie Belanger got the win after stopping 23 out of 25 shots on net.
The Black Bears will return to the ice to face their archrivals the University of New Hampshire on Saturday, Nov. 26 in Auburn, Maine. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Huskies will travel to Burlington, Vt. to take on the University of Vermont on Sunday, Nov. 20. Puck drop is scheduled for 2 p.m.
