Womens Ice Hockey

Laura Corcoran '16 Makes 24 Saves in 2nd Career Start to Backstop Cardinals to 4-2 Win over PSU

Goalie Laura Corcoran '16 (#30, main photo), starting just the second game of her career, went the distance in goal for Wesleyan, making 24 saves while allowing two goals, to record a 4-2 victory over visiting Plymouth St. in Tues., Jan. 22.  Corcoran had logged 65 minutes in net in her previous three appearances and had been credited with a win in Wesleyan's 3-2 victory over Nichols earlier this year, so her season record advanced to 2-0.

Wesleyan had four different goal scorers in the contest as Plymouth got on the board first by putting a slapper past Corcoran at 7:45 of the frist period.

Wesleyan netted the next three goals, spread out over more than 40 minutes between the three periods.  Becca Koppel '13 evened the count at 9:36 of the first period with her second goal of the campaign, slipping a shot between the pads of the Panther goalie off a feed from Kelsey Muller '13.  Cara Jankowski '15 put the Cardinals ahead for good at 1:49 of the second period as she found a gap between the keeper and the right goal post to pick up her fourth goal of the season.  Top scorer Jordan Schildhaus '15 (#19, photo insert uper right) put Wesleyan ahead, 3-1, at 12:45 of the third period, cashing in on a rebound after the Plymouth netminder had made two stops in front.  Her ninth goal of the season proved to be the game-winner when Plymouth scored just 42 seconds later with a good individual move, breaking past the Wesleyan defense and putting the puck home on the right side, making the score, 3-2.

With the Plymouth goalie on the bench in favor of a sixth attacker, Mackenzie McPike '15 got to a loose puck at center ice and was breaking in on the empty net before being pulled down from behind by a Panther defender with :13 showing on the clock.  McPike was awarded a goal on the play as a penalty shot would have resulted had a goaltender been covering the net.  With an empty net, a goal is awarded.

Wesleyan improved to 4-0 all-time vs. Plymouth St. and snapped a six-game losing skid this season.  Plymouth had started the season 2-10 but had gone 1-1-2 in its last four starts, including a 4-4 tie with the ECAC East's second-place squad, St. Anselm, in its last start.

Wesleyan has nine days off before retuning to action Fri., Feb. 1 at Hamilton in the first of two NESCAC games vs. the Continental in Clinton, N.Y.