No. 5 Harvard Drops Road Contest at Quinnipiac
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HAMDEN, Conn. -- Freshman goaltender Laura
Bellamy recorded nine saves and held Quinnipiac scoreless on two
power plays, but the fifth-ranked Harvard women's hockey team fell
on the road to the Bobcats by a 1-0 margin Saturday afternoon at TD
Bank Sports Center.
In a scoreless first period, Harvard fired four of the five shots
on goal in the opening stanza, including two off the stick of Anna
McDonald late in the frame that were saved by Quinnipiac goaltender
Victoria Vigilanti. In the opening minutes of the second,
Quinnipiac tested Bellamy, and the rookie netminder came up with
two big saves on Bobcat rushes. First, Janine Duffy skated down the
left side before wristing a shot that Bellamy turned away, and then
Breehan Polic's attempt from the right circle was batted away by
the Harvard goaltender.
Harvard's best chance in the middle stanza came on a quick move in
front of the goal by Jillian Dempsey. Playing the puck in the right
corner, Dempsey spun around, eluding a defender, before trying to
stuff the puck through the pads of Vigilanti. The Quinnipiac
goaltender covered up the puck on the play, as Harvard extended its
advantage in shots on goal to 13-4 at that point. At the 17:12 mark
of the second period, Quinnipiac's Kate Wheeler slid a pass to
Kelley Davies who fired a shot through Bellamy and into the back of
the net, giving the Bobcats a 1-0 lead.
In need of a goal to tie the game late in the third period, the
Crimson earned a power play at 16:07 when Quinnipiac's Heather
Hughes was called for slashing. On the ensuing chance with an extra
attacker, Liza Ryabkina blasted a shot from the right point, but
the puck hit Vigilanti in the chest, allowing her to make the save.
With time winding down in regulation, the Crimson pulled Bellamy
with 48 seconds remaining, giving Harvard an extra attacker. In the
final seconds, Kate Buesser nearly tipped home a rebound in front,
but the puck bounced over her stick and away from the cage.
The Crimson held the final count in shots, 31-9, and was 0-for-2 on
the power play.
Harvard will return to Bright Hockey Center to host No. 8 Cornell
in a key Ivy League and ECAC Hockey contest Friday, Jan. 15 at 7
p.m.
