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| Meghan Miller was involved in several of PSU's better scoring chances on Friday. Photo: Allyssa Long |
One of the more difficult things in hockey - in all of sports, really - is reconciling the idea that progress is being made while staring at results that seemingly objectively contradict the thought.
And make no mistake: As ugly as the Lady Ice Lions' two late-October defeats to Adrian in Michigan were, the numbers say this one was even uglier, a 7-0 shellacking on Friday night that saw just three Penn State shots on Adrian netminder Ellyn Stanton (compared to 46 Bulldogs tries on Aimee Little, who held up admirably under the circumstances). Stanton's shutout was only slightly more difficult that former PSU great Katie Vaughan's at the 2011 World University Games, where Stanton's fellow Pittsburgher only needed to stop two from the Turkish national university team while with Team USA.
On paper, the win by the ACHA's second-ranked team, now 13-2-0 this year, was about as thorough as they come.
For the No. 15 Lady Ice Lions, now 2-7-1, things weren't quite that bleak.
In most immeasurable ways, PSU has improved since October. The breakout is coming along, some quality depth up front is developing, and a competitive but still loose culture is starting to take hold. The shots on goal weren't an entirely accurate reflection of the scoring chances, as Adrian effectively blocked some of Penn State's better tries and the Bulldogs cashed in a disproportionate number of their prime opportunities.
As is characteristic of AC, the cashing in came from all over the place in the form of six different goal scorers. Sabrena Camp got the parade underway 1:33 from puck drop driving the middle and accepting Shannon Osland's feed. Kaillie Hardy - the only Bulldog to score twice, as part of a four-point evening - grabbed the next couple, and Sam Fortune made sure the rout was on by the end of the first period with an unassisted marker in final minute.
Two of the Lady Ice Lions' three shots came during the frame, just before the Fortune goal, when Darby Kern swept in off the wing and got a try in tight on Stanton, with Meghan Miller following up on the doorstep.
While those chances were unrewarded, Adrian continued to pile on to their lead. Jessie Rushing (on a Nicole Paradis rebound) and Alicia Tait (after wheeling the PSU defense one on one) scored 31 seconds apart late in the second period, while Nichole Laflamme capped off a three-point night and the game's scoring with five minutes left in the game.
Liz Tuorinsky took the only penalty of the game, a third-period body checking call after she took Kirstin LaBelle to the wall, which her teammates successfully killed.
The two teams will meet again in Pegula Ice Arena on Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m., the final game of the Lady Ice Lions' fall semester schedule.
Box Score
First Period |
|---|
Scoring |
1. Adrian, Sabrena Camp (Shannon Osland), 18:27; 2. Adrian, Kaillie Hardy (Jess Fabbro, Nichole Laflamme), 10:37; 3. Adrian, Kaillie Hardy (unassisted), 3:57; 4. Adrian, Sam Fortune (unassisted), 0:36. |
Penalties |
None. |
Second Period |
Scoring |
5. Adrian, Jessie Rushing (Nicole Paradis), 16:50; 6. Adrian, Alicia Tait (Kaillie Hardy, Nichole Laflamme), 16:29. |
Penalties |
None. |
Third Period |
Scoring |
7. Adrian, Nichole Laflamme (Kaillie Hardy, Paige Fuoco), 5:08. |
Penalties |
1. Penn State, Liz Tuorinsky (2:00 body checking), 11:05. |
Goaltending |
Penn State: Aimee Little: L, 39 saves/46 shots. Adrian: Ellyn Stanton: W, 3 saves, 3 shots. |
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