After losing to No. 3 Harvard in the final minutes Friday night, the Bobcats came onto the ice with energy and enthusiasm in Saturday’s tilt against the Dartmouth Big Green. However, the Bobcats were unable hold that pace throughout the game, and lost 3-0. The Bobcats fell to 1-9-0 overall and 0-2-0 in ECAC action, while Dartmouth improved to both 2-0 overall and in ECAC play.
It was a fast-moving, high-paced game when Dartmouth drew first blood. Forward Amanda Trunzo scored the first goal for Dartmouth 15 minutes into the first period. After the goal, Quinnipiac appeared a bit defeated and began making sloppy passes. Dartmouth controlled the puck until Quinnipiac senior forward Elyse Cole found herself ahead of the pack on a breakaway. She was tripped, however, by Dartmouth forward Maggie Kennedy before getting off a clean shot.
A power play ensued, and the Bobcats began putting pressure on Dartmouth goalie Carli Clemis. All of Quinnipiac’s chances were denied by Clemis and Dartmouth continued to control the puck. The first period finished with Dartmouth dominating the shots on goal total with 15 to Quinnipiac’s six.
The Bobcats came onto the ice in the second period lacking the enthusiasm with which they began the game. Five minutes into the period, Quinnipiac was caught off-guard and Trunzo scored the second goal for Dartmouth on a power play, upping the score to 2-0.
Quinnipiac replaced junior goaltender Nanna Holm-Glaas with sophomore Tia Wishart at the beginning of the third period. Holm-Glaas finished the night with 22 saves, but two goals allowed.
“We’ve been waiting for her injury to recover–now this is Tia’s time to get her shot,” Bobcats head coach Rick Seeley said.
The goalie change did not spark the Bobcats, as they continued to play sloppily. With six minutes left in the third period, Quinnipiac surrendered their third goal, scored by Dartmouth’s forward Maggie Kennedy. In the final minutes of the game, Quinnipiac got in a few big hits on the Big Green, but overall they were dominated and handed with another tough loss.
After the game, Coach Seeley added some words of encouragement.
“They’re all tough losses but the fact is we played two Top 10 teams pretty tight,” he said.
“We have to bear down in front of the net–we need to have strong sticks. I mean, we can’t let up and let them push us around. Around the net is where we need to get tougher,” junior forward Kallie Flor said.
The Bobcats now travel to Hamilton, N.Y., to take on the Colgate Raiders at 7 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, they travel to Ithaca, N.Y., to take on the Cornell Big Red.
