Akstull Helps Saints Rally Past Cornell, 3-2

Nov. 14: Senior captain Tara Akstull scored pair of goals including the game-winner late in the third period to help the St. Lawrence University women's hockey team overcome a two-goal deficit and rally past Cornell University in Ithaca, NY on Saturday night.  The Saints trailed 2-0 midway through the second, but scored three unanswered goals to hand the Big Red a 3-2 defeat at Lynah Rink.

The victory moves the Saints to 5-4-4 (3-3-1) on the season while Cornell, which was previously unbeaten in ECAC Hockey play, falls to 5-3-0 (5-1-0).

"It was certainly a solid team effort tonight and we worked very hard for our breaks," said St. Lawrence head coach Chris Wells, whose team snapped a three-game winless streak.  "Even though we were down two, we all felt good about the way we were playing.  Cornell plays a fun style of hockey and this is a great result for us."

The Big Red scored the only goal in the first period, as stand-out forward Catherine White tallied her third goal of the season only 4:16 into regulation.  White beat St. Lawrence senior assistant captain Brittony Chartier for the goal, which was assisted by Laura Fortino and Laura Danforth.

The home team would build its lead to 2-0 less than five minutes into the second period.  Kelly McGinty gave Cornell a two-goal cushion at 4:17, with assists going to White and Melanie Jue.  The goal was McGinty's first of the 2009-10 campaign.

Needing an offensive spark, St. Lawrence turned to Akstull who hadn't scored a goal in 11 games.  However, the Clifton Park, NY native cut her team's deficit in half at 2-1 to cap the second period scoring.  Akstull scored on Cornell goalie Amanda Mazzotta at 9:51 of the second period, which proved to be a major momentum shift for the Scarlet and Brown.

Sophomore Vanessa Emond, the Saints' leading scorer thus far in 2009-10, picked up her ninth goal of the season to tie the game at 13:30 of the third period.  First-year students Brooke Fernandez and Michelle Ng were credited with helpers on the game-tying tally.

Only 1:09 seconds later, the Scarlet and Brown were celebrating in front of Mazzotta again having taken a 3-2 lead.  Akstull delivered another crucial unassisted goal at 14:39, her third of the season, to give the Saints a lead they would not relinquish.  Though Cornell would pull Mazzotta in favor of the extra attacker with 1:06 to play, the Big Red failed to score the equalizer as the Saints escaped Lynah with two points in the ECAC Hockey standings.

St. Lawrence finished with a 22-17 advantage in shots on goal, while neither team was able to score on its power play tries.  The Saints finished 0-for-1 with the extra skater while Cornell was 0-for-3.  Chartier made 15 saves to pick up the victory while Mazzotta made 19 stops in a losing effort.  Akstull's goals bring her career point total to 93, only seven shy of the "Century Club."

The Saints will have next weekend away from conference action as the team heads to Columbus, OH to face WCHA foe Ohio State in a pair of non-conference games.  The puck will drop on the opening tilt on Friday, November 20^th at 7:07pm.