The University of Rhode Island women’s club hockey team dropped two games this weekend to the University of Massachusetts.
This was the third and fourth time these two clubs have faced off this season. The teams split a pair at the Mullins Center last time they battled.
Friday night’s game was special for URI as the team honored its seniors with their families in attendance.
The Rams kicked off Friday’s game with an early goal from fourth-year alternate captain Grace Gibbons on a dish from second-year forward Bella Bonfiglio to take a 1-0 lead. The rest of the period was quiet as URI and UMass continued to trade shots on both ends of the ice.
The second period was a duel between the Rams and Minutewomen goalies. Neither team could get one in the back of the net as the offense was shut down on both sides.
The third period is where things started to intensify and chaos unfolded. The period started with both teams fighting for scoring chances and getting the puck on the net. Midway through the period, Bonfiglio managed to get the puck past UMass goalie, third-year alternate captain Sarah Matthews, giving URI a further advantage, now leading 2-0.
As the clock ticked down and the Rams were up a pair, it looked like this one might be over. However, UMass had other plans. With just 2:07 remaining, the Minutewomen fought back and put one on the board from fourth-year alternate captain Joanna Dustin. UMass desperately pushed for another goal still down one. In the dying seconds of regulation, UMass silenced Boss Ice Arena with a game-tying goal from fourth-year captain Brianna O’Neill with eight seconds to spare to send the game to overtime.
In overtime, Rhode Island got too physical, resulting in a costly penalty. The Rams had their backs against the wall as they struggled to clear the puck from their zone. URI fourth-year goalie Maddie Ashenfelter made some saves to try to keep her team alive. Second-year forward Hannah Gromko was able to squeak one past Ashenfelter to give UMass a come-from-behind 3-2 triumph.
“Every time we step onto the ice, we always make it meaningful and memorable, no matter if we win or lose,” fourth-year captain Emily Jedson said. “Tonight was really special; even though we lost, we still had a great season.”
URI played another game on Saturday at the Mullins Center against UMass. UMass scored the first three goals of the game from O’Neill, Gromko and first-year forward Joanna Zhu. URI added two late goals in the third from second-year defenseman Penny Stack and fourth-year forward Audrey Rowan. That would be all for URI as UMass got the best of them in the final game of the series with a 3-2 win.
Following these games, the URI women’s club hockey team season has come to an end, and it will look to regroup in the offseason and prepare for next year.
