PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The ninth-ranked Providence College women's hockey team celebrated its senior day by matching its largest margin of victory this season, defeating Vermont, 6-1, at Schneider Arena.
The Friars will now host Maine in the Hockey East quarterfinals next Saturday, February 26. Face-off at Schneider is set for 2 p.m.
The Friars jumped out early, converting on their first two shots on net. Just one minute into the opening frame, sophomore Nicole Anderson (Jordan, Minn.) forced a turnover along the center ice boards, freeing the puck for defenseman Leigh Riley. Riley hit center Ashley Cottrell in stride, and the junior wristed home her 13th of the year for a 1-0 Friar advantage.
Three minutes later, Providence struck again, this time courtesy a Laura Veharanta (La Verne, Calif.) wrist shot from the left of the doorstep. It was 2-0 PC at the first intermission.
After a scoreless second period, the Providence offense erupted in the third, with goals from junior Abby Gauthier (Lynn, Mass.), freshman Corinne Buie (Edina, Minn.), senior co-captain Jean O'Neill (Strafford, Pa.) and sophomore Jessica Cohen (Anchorage, Alaska).
Vermont's Celeste Doucet spoiled the would-be shutout at the 17:17 mark of the third, bouncing a puck home from a difficult angle on the left doorstep.
Providence goaltender Genevieve Lacasse earned her career-best 20th victory of the season, stopping 26 shots in 50:51 of work.
Before the game, the Friars honored the five members of the class of 2011- Jean O'Neill, Alyse Ruff, Amber Yung, Leigh Riley, and Christina England. All five played in their final regular season home game, as England was inserted in net midway through the final period.
Tickets for the quarterfinal are available by calling the PC ticket office at (401) 865 GOPC.