MANCHESTER, N.H. – Kathryn Picarello (West Roxbury, Mass.) scored a pair of goals for the Hawks, but that would not be enough as the Saint Anselm College women's ice hockey team dropped a 5-2 decision to the College of the Holy Cross on Saturday afternoon at Sullivan Arena.
With the loss, the Hawks tarnish their unbeaten record and fall to 3-1-1 overall and 2-1-1 in ECAC East, while the Crusaders improve to 3-1-1 overall and 2-1-1 in league play.
Holy Cross staked claim on a 1-0 lead at 8:28 of the first period when Mary Kilmasewiski connected on a pass from Alex Campione and snuck the puck past Saint Anselm goaltender Lindsey Brown (Mounds View, Minn.).
The Crusaders increased their lead to two just two minutes into the second stanza on a Crusader power play. Rebecca Flemming, outside the top of the left circle, received a pass from Frances Panarelli and sent a slap shot rocketing towards the net that beat Brown five-hole.
Saint Anselm would answer back just 44 seconds later when Picarello scored her first short-handed goal of the season. Courtney Winters (Swampscott, Mass.) dished a feed to Picarello, who split two defenders and sent a wrister into the top corner of the net.
The Crusaders would extend their lead to two again at 9:15 of the second period when Rebecca O'Quinn netted a power play goal thanks to assists from Kati Goguen and Rebecca Fleming.
The Hawks added a tally of their own at 10:59 on a power play. Picarello grabbed a loose puck out of the right corner before she skated along the endline and roofed a backhander over the shoulder of Holy Cross goaltender Krista Manzanares. Rosemarie Giarrusso (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) picked up a helper on the play.
With the assist, Giarrusso claimed ownership of the all-time career assists record in the Saint Anselm College women's ice hockey record book as she notched her 54th assist. The record of 53 assists was originally set by Molly Corl who was a member of the team from 2008 to 2012.
In response to the Hawks' goal with just over nine minutes remaining, the Crusaders scored a pair of goals to close out the second frame and make it a 5-2 game.
Chelsea Monahan beat Brown to her left and sent the puck just inside the left pipe at 12:53, giving the Crusaders a two-goal cushion. Rebecca Flemming picked up her second goal of the contest with 36 seconds remaining in the second period on a feed from Rebecca O'Quinn.
Brown made 17 saves, while Manzanares made 30. Janice Michaud (Westwood, Mass.) minded the net for the last 27:07, making four stops and allowing one goal.
Saint Anselm held a 32-26 advantage in shots on goal.
The Hawks return to action Friday, Nov. 16 as they travel to Saint Michael's College in a 7 p.m. puck-drop. Stay up-to date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/STAHawks) and following us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/STAHawks).
