Nov. 9, 2013
 1 PENN STATE (2-8-1, 0-3-0 CHA) |
Box Score University Park, Pa. • Pegula Ice Arena • Attendance: 691 |  2 SYRACUSE (5-4-0, 1-0-0 CHA) |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women's hockey team fought hard but fell 2-1 to Syracuse on Saturday afternoon. Nicole Paniccia (Oakville, Ont.) stopped 38 Syracuse attempts, while Jordin Pardoski (Rochester Hills, Mich.) scored her first goal of the year.
Syracuse (5-4-0, 1-0-0 CHA) opened the game with the first 12 shots, including a goal by Melissa Piacentini on a power play just 3:10 into the contest.
The Nittany Lions (2-8-1, 0-3-0 CHA) responded on a power play of its own at 17:30 when Pardoski knocked home her first goal of the season on a rebound from Laura Bowman (Minnetonka, Minn.). Amy Petersen (Minnetonka, Minn.) set up the play down the left wing entering the offensive zone.
The second period was more of the same by the Orange, owning a 15-3 edge in shots, but Paniccia was there for all 15 Syracuse attempts.
In the third, Piacentini put the Orange up once again as she sent home a rebound of Heather Schwarz's saved shot for a 2-1 lead just 1:27 into the period. Syracuse controlled much of the period until the later stages when Penn State went on a power play midway through the frame. The Nittany Lions went 1-for-2 on the player-advantage.
The final 90 seconds were frantic as Paniccia came out of net and the Nittany Lions put three shots on frame, but Syracuse netminder Kallie Billadeau was there for all of them. She finished the day with 17 saves.
Shannon Yoxheimer (Jackson, Mich.) topped the PSU list with five attempts on goal, while Kelly Seward (Williamsville, N.Y.) had four shots. Defensively, Lindsay Reihl (Cheshire, Conn.) blocked four shots and Jeanette Bateman (Greeley, Colo.) had three blocks.
Syracuse held a 40-17edge in shots for the game. The Orange improved to 5-0-0 all-time against the Nittany Lions with two of the last three contests being decided by just one goal.
Penn State and Syracuse return to Pegula Ice Arena on Sunday afternoon for a 2 p.m. contest. Following the game, fans are invited to a free skating session on the ice. Free skate rental is also included.