SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- The University of Maine women's ice hockey team dropped a tough 4-3 decision to the Union Dutchwomen on Friday afternoon at Messa Rink. The loss drops the Black Bears to 5-10-5 while Union improves to 3-13-1. Jenna Ouellette (Winnipeg, Manitoba) led the way for the Black Bears as she notched two goals in the contest. Ouellette now has a point seven of the Black Bears' last eight goals.
The two teams would battle back and forth for much of the first period before the Black Bears penalty kill, ranked sixth in the nation, would be forced to go to work. Maine would kill off the Union College one skater advantage to keep the game deadlocked at zero entering the first intermission.
The Black Bears would waste no time getting on the board when Ouellette continued her hot streak and scored her eighth goal of the season, and sixth point in the last six Black Bear goals, just 2:08 into the second period. Senior Taryn Peacock (Calgary, Alberta) assisted on the goal for Maine. However, Union would knot the score at 1-1 just over two minutes later when Callee Heywood lit the lamp for the Dutchwomen off a feed from Rhianna Kurio.
The Dutchwomen would take their first lead of the game 13:43 into the second period when sophomore Lauren Cromartie picked up a pass from Jeannie Sabourin and scored to put Union up 2-1. Cromartie would extend the Dutchwomen lead to 3-1 when she scored on Kurio's second assist of the contest with 3:30 remaining in the second period.
Maine would cut the lead to just one heading into the second intermission when Darcia Leimgruber (Basel, Switzerland) deposited the puck into the back of the net for her first career goal. Leimgruber scored notched her first collegiate point after receiving a feed from senior Lexie Hoffmeyer (Grand Blanc, Mich.). Abby Barton (Woodstock, New Brunswick) also assisted on the play.
Ouellette would tie the game at 4:37 into the third period on her second goal of the contest when Jessica Bond (Namur, Quebec) worked a pass across to Peacock who then slid the puck through to Ouellette. For Peacock, it was her second assist of the game and her eleventh on the year.
Union would take a 4-3 lead with 1:56 left in the third period when Emilie Arseneault found the back of the net on an unassisted goal. The Black Bears would pull goalie Brittany Ott (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) for the final 43 seconds but despite out shooting the Dutchwomen 18-7 in the final period, would drop the tough 4-3 decision.
Ott made 18 saves for the Black Bears as her record falls to 4-5-3. Dutchwomen goaltender Kate Gallagher knocked away 33 shots for Union and improves to 2-3-0 on the season.
The Black Bears out shot Union 36-22 in the contest and were 0-3 on the power play while Union was also 0-3 with the one skater advantage.
The Black Bears return to action tomorrow afternoon with another 2 p.m. contest against Union. Maine will then have the Holiday season off as they do not return to the rink until Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. when they host the University of Moncton in an exhibition game at Alfond Arena.