Bronson, Kennedy Shine on Senior Night

Boxscore

HANOVER, N.H. -- On Senior Night at Thompson Arena, it was juniors Julia Bronson (Arlington, Va.) and Maggie Kennedy (West Hartford, Conn.) who provided the offense for the 10th-ranked Dartmouth women's hockey team in a 4-1 victory over Union on Saturday afternoon.

Bronson netted a career-high two goals, while Kennedy tied a career-high with three assists, including two on both of Bronson's goals.

Senior night started off great for senior captain Nicole Ruta (Pickering, Ont.) as she put the Big Green up 1-0, just 3:24 into the game. After a couple shots were blocked in front, Ruta touched the puck between Union goaltender Lundy Day's legs, but a Dutchwomen defender slapped it away before it could cross the line. However, Ruta was not done. She kept at the puck and eventually slammed it into the back of the net for the score.

Dartmouth added to the lead with 12:12 remaining in the opening period on junior Julia Bronson's (Arlington, Va.) third power play goal of the year and fourth of the season. She received a pass from junior Sarah Newnam (Clifton, Va.) and took a wrist shot that found the top right corner and over the glove of Day for the 2-0 advantage.

Union got on the board at the 4:27 mark of the period as the Dutchwomen were awarded a penalty shot after a Dartmouth defender took down a breaking Suzy Pocock in front. On the penalty shot, Pocock faked her forehand and went backhand top-shelf on sophomore netminder Mariel Lacina (London, Ont.) to cut the lead to 2-1.

Dartmouth dominated the first period with a 22-3 advantage in shots, but Day was able to make 20 stops in the period to keep the Dutchwomen in the game.

The Big Green had another great opportunity three minutes into the second period as sophomore Sarah Parsons caused a neutral zone turnover and did a give-and-go with freshman Amanda Trunzo, but the final pass from Parsons to Trunzo slid underneath Trunzo's stick.

The second stanza also belong to the Big Green as Dartmouth continued to put pressure on Day, but she stood tall in made all 16 stops in the period.

Bronson's second of the night came off a face-off win from Kennedy, who slipped it back to Bronson and she connected on shot that snuck underneath the glove of Day and into the lower right to give Dartmouth a commanding 3-1 lead.

Sophomore Sarah Parsons (Dover, mass.) got into the act with her second shorthanded goal, which ties senior Carrie Thompson (Shorewood, Minn.) for the team lead. Once again it was Kennedy, who found Parsons streaking down the right side and Parsons faked the forehand and slid the puck past Day on the backhand for the score.

Lacina was challenged few times, but Union could only manage 11 shots on net, while the Big Green was relentless with 50 shots on net which turned into 46 saves from Day. In her two games with Dartmouth this season Day has made a total of 98 saves on 104 shots from the Big Green.

Dartmouth won the special teams battle with its fourth-straight game with at least one power play goal as the Big Green went 1-5 on the man advantage. Union had three chances with the extra skater and came out empty on all three, while giving up a shorthanded goal.

Dartmouth honored its three seniors - Ruta, Thompson and Amy Cobb - before the game and thanked them for their commitment over their four years playing for the Big Green. In their careers, the seniors have put up a 77-33-11 record, including an Ivy League Championship, ECAC Championship and a trip to the 2005 Frozen Four.

The Big Green opens its four-game road trip next weekend as Dartmouth travels to Quinnipiac for a Friday night face-off at 7 p.m. and on Saturday afternoon the Big Green will take on Princeton, who is right behind Dartmouth in the ECAC Hockey standings.