PROVIDENCE TIES ST. LAWRENCE, 3-3
Ashley Cottrell ties game with 1:30 left in regulation

Ashley Cottrell scored the game-tying goal

St. Lawrence University first-year student Jamie Goldsmith scored her first two collegiate goals on Saturday afternoon against Providence College at Appleton Arena. Though the Saints had the lead three separate times, the Friars showed great resiliency and managed to scrap out a 3-3 tie behind a goal by Ashley Cottrell with 1:30 remaining in regulation.

St. Lawrence (0-1-1) didn't win a game during the opening weekend of play for the first time since the 2000-2001 campaign. However, the Saints controlled much of the action in Saturday's contest, outshooting Providence (2-1-1) by a sizable 35-22 advantage.

"I'm excited to see our team start to take on their personality during today's game, especially against a hard-working team like Providence," said St. Lawrence head coach Chris Wells. "I think we'll be able to continue to improve against Robert Morris, which is off to a solid start this season."

Goldsmith opened the scoring at 11:03 of the first period with a power play goal to put the home team on top 1-0. Senior captain Tara Akstull cycled the puck to sophomore Alley Bero, and though her shot was stopped by Providence goalie Genevieve Lacasse, the rebound slid right to Goldsmith at the far post for an easy finish and her first career goal.

St. Lawrence came out of the gate skating well in the first, outshooting the Friars 13-4. Lacasse did well to keep the visitors within striking distance with 12 first period saves.

The second period was a much more evenly-played stanza, though both Lacasse and St. Lawrence senior goalie Brittony Chartier held their ground between the pipes. It appeared the Saints would carry their 1-0 lead into the final frame, but an unfortunate bounce would lead to a 1-1 tie after 40:00 minutes of play. With the clock winding down on the period, Providence forward Arianna Rigano corralled the puck near the boards to Chartier's left. She wristed a harmless shot towards goal that ricocheted off of a St. Lawrence defender's stick and bounced past the goal line with only five seconds remaining in the period to knot the score at 1-1. The unassisted goal was Rigano's second of the season.

St. Lawrence sophomore Vanessa Emond would spark her team early in the third period, as the home team regained its cushion at 2-1. The Levis, QC native took a feed from junior Kirsten Roach while the Saints were on a penalty kill and exploded past the Friar defense to set up a short-handed breakaway try on Lacasse. Emond used a slick move at the top of the crease to fake-out Lacasse and put her team ahead at 4:49 of the third.

Providence once again rebounded in style, as they managed to tie the game at 2-2 only 45 seconds later on the continued power play. Rigano scored her second goal of the game by blitzing a one-timer past Chartier from the slot at 5:34, with an assist going to Lauren Covell.

The two teams would again exchange goals less than two minutes apart in the waning minutes of the third period. Goldsmith would put St. Lawrence ahead for the third time at 3-2 when she controlled a pass from fellow rookie Brooke Fernandez in the slot and scored with Lacasse out of position at 16:38. However, Cottrell would respond by chipping the puck behind Chartier on a crisp cross-ice pass by Jean O'Neill with only 1:30 remaining in regulation. The goal was Cottrell's fourth of the year and forced a five minute overtime period.

Both teams had quality chances in the extra session, but both Chartier and Lacasse were perfect in goal. Chartier made her biggest stop of the game in overtime when she deflected Laura Veharanta's one-timer with a shoulder save. Lacasse was impressive on the far end of the ice as well in overtime, as she stopped Emond twice including a huge glove save with less than 10 seconds left in the game to preserve the 3-3 tie.

St. Lawrence finished 1-of-6 on the power play while Providence was 1-of-5. Lacasse made 32 stops to improve to 2-1-1 on the season while Chartier made 19 saves to improve to 0-1-1.