Jan. 29, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State women's hockey skated against Princeton for the first time on Tuesday night and dropped a 3-0 decision at Greenberg Ice Pavilion. The Tigers tallied a goal in each period, while goaltender Nicole Paniccia made 27 saves for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State (7-17-1) and Princeton (7-12-2) had an even first period by the shot count (Princeton 6-5), but Karen MacDonald's fluttering long-range strike put the Tigers ahead 15:32 into the period for a 1-0 lead. Princeton seemed to take a lead just 30 seconds into the game, but the goal was called off due to high sticking.
The second period was a struggle for the Nittany Lions, who allowed a goal 39 ticks into the frame by Sally Butler. Princeton maintained possession for much of the period, tallying the first 11 shots until a Gable Figueroa penalty at 15:20. It was then that the Nittany Lion offense sprung to life, rattling five shots in a row, but Princeton netminder Kimberly Newell (11 saves) was up to the task.
The third period mirrored much of the second with Princeton controlling the flow of the game. The Tigers pounced on a turnover nine minutes into the period and Molly Contini scored for a 3-0 advantage.
A minute later, Princeton took a tripping minor followed by a holding minor a minute later, setting up a crucial 5-on-3 power play for Penn State. The Nittany Lions again held a strong power play together, but couldn't find the net. Penn State went 0-for-3 on the power play with 10 of the game's 19 shots coming during the player-advantage.
Freshman Shannon Yoxheimer (Jackson, Mich.) led the team with eight shots, while Micayla Catanzariti (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) tallied three of her own. Tess Weaver (Windber, Pa.) was a perfect 4-0 on faceoffs and Jill Holdcroft (Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa.) celebrated her 19th birthday with a 3-0 record on the dot. Princeton won the faceoff battle, 28-23, and the shot-advantage 30-19.
The Nittany Lions continue their five-game home stand with a two-game series this weekend vs. No. 7 Mercyhurst. Friday's game is set for 7:00 p.m. and Saturday's game is at 2:00 p.m. Admission to all Penn State women's hockey games is free.
--NITTANY LIONS--