Plymouth State Clips Women’s Hockey, 3-2

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The MCLA Women's Hockey Team welcomed the Plymouth State Panthers to the Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rink for a MASCAC matchup. The MCLA power-play unit did its part for the Trailblazers, with Nicolette Bardsley and Belle Wurmser lighting the lamp while on the man advantage. Still, a Plymouth State power-play goal would be the decision-maker as the Panthers left with the victory.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Friday, December 6, 2024
• Score: Plymouth State 3, MCLA 2
• Records: Plymouth State University Panthers 6-3-0 (MASCAC 3-0-0) | MCLA Trailblazers 7-5-0 (MASCAC 1-3-0)
• Series History: First-ever meeting of the teams.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• MCLA opened the scoring with the only goal of the first frame. On a man advantage, the Trailblazers controlled the puck along the right-side boards, where sophomore forward Maggie Danchak (Chalfont, PA / Philadelphia Little Flyers) was able to keep her balance just long enough to pass the puck out to sophomore defenseman Summer Bissaillion (Blind River, ON / Sudbury Wolves) at the right point. Bissaillion then passed it back to sophomore forward Nicolette Bardsley (Gilbertsville, PA / Chatham University) near the right faceoff circle for a sniper shot that cleared the short side between the goalie and the pipe. The goal was Bardsley's third of the season, while the assists were the third and fourth for Danchak and Bissaillion, respectively.
• The Panthers tied the game just under six minutes into the period, with Carsen Moffett (5:44, assisted by Robyn Grant) being credited with the goal.
• The Trailblazers retook the lead with around six and half minutes to go in the second period, making Plymouth again pay for a penalty. Off the faceoff, MCLA controlled the puck in the Panther's end. A wrister from sophomore defenseman Carlen Bertrand (Timmins, ON / Sudbury Wolves) was redirected on net by first-year forward Kiera Grom (Livonia, MI / Belle Tire), but the rebound went directly to the feet of sophomore forward Belle Wurmser (Brick, NJ / Princeton Tiger Lillies) who cleaned up in front of the net for her third goal of the year.
• Plymouth would find an equalizer in literally the last second of the period as Moffett (19:59, assisted by Jamie Steinmetz and Lauren McNeil) recorded her second goal of the night with 0.4 seconds left on the clock.
• In the third period, it was the Panthers giving the hosts a taste of their own medicine, making the most of a man advantage about 11 and a half minutes into the third period with Robyn Grant (11:28, assisted by Katie Porrello) picking up the game-winner.
• Teagan Wilson stopped 11 of the 13 shots she faced to pick up her second win of the year and moved to 2-2-0 for the season. Junior goalie Juliette Barney (Braintree, MA / Anna Maria College) stood on her head for the Trailblazers, making a season-high 50 saves, but was saddled with the tough-luck loss to fall to 3-3-0.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Shots: Plymouth State 53, MCLA 13
• Saves: Plymouth State 11, MCLA 50
• Faceoffs Won: Plymouth State 42, MCLA 18
• Penalty/Minutes: Plymouth State 2/4:00, MCLA 2/4:00
• Power Plays: Plymouth State 1 for 2, MCLA 2 for 2

UP NEXT:

On Saturday, MCLA will be back in action when they play host to Salem State for a MASCAC matchup with the Vikings at the Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rink. The puck will drop at 5 p.m.