The Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team closed out 2010 with a four-game winning streak, but its first game in 2011 ended in a loss. The Bobcats (13-7-1, 6-6) were defeated by Princeton 3-0 on Monday at Hobey Baker Rink in Princeton, N.J.

Victoria Vigilanti recorded 16 saves for the Bobcats, but Princeton’s Rachel Weber outplayed Vigilanti and recorded 19 saves for the Tigers (8-10-1, 5-6-1), earning her fourth shutout of the season.

Princeton took command of the game early, scoring two goals within 37 seconds of each other in the middle of the first period. Sophomore forward Alex Kinney found fellow forward Julie Johnson who netted the first goal of the game at the 8:33 mark in the first period.

With just less than eight minutes remaining in the period, Princeton captain Paula Romanchuk scored her seventh goal of the season, extending the Tigers lead to 2-0.

Princeton continued to pile onto its lead, adding another goal in the second frame from Danielle DeCesare with 9:10 remaining in the period. DeCesare knocked in the puck off a rebound from her own shot for her second goal of the season.

While the Bobcats had 19 shots on goal, they struggled on the power play, going 0-for-4 in the game.  The shutout loss was Quinnipiac’s first in over a month when it lost to Cornell, 4-0, on Nov. 20.

The Bobcats continue their ECAC road trip on Friday in Canton, N.Y., when they face St. Lawrence at 4 p.m.