ANGOLA, Ind. – A first-period lead was not enough as the Trine University women's hockey team ended up dropping the second half of their doubleheader against Northland College by the score of 4-3.
The Thunder struck first in the contest, taking a 1-0 lead in just the second minute of play. The goal came from sophomore Eryn Isaacson (Fenton, Mich.) who fired the puck over the opposition's goaltender's shoulder. Sophomores Sierra Westner (Saginaw, Mich.) and Emily Moore (London, Ontario) added assists on the goal.
Trine added to their lead in the 18th minute of the period when freshman Ava Russano (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) recovered a deflected puck in front of the net and fired it through the glove side of the Jills' goaltender. Westner and freshman Devin Dzumaryk (Milford, Mich.) added assists on the goal which gave the Thunder the 2-0 lead.
It looked like the team would hold onto the shutout into the first intermission, but Northland picked up their first goal of the contest with just one second left in the period and the teams headed into the first break with Trine leading 2-1.
Through the second period and much of the third, the Jills poured on the offensive firepower and went for four straight goals, including the one at the end of the first period.
With just over a minute remaining in regulation and down 4-2, the Thunder pulled sophomore goaltender Molly Scarborough (Ramsey, Minn.) in favor of an extra forward. The gamble worked as the team came out of a scrum in the final minute of the game with a goal. Russano scored the goal, her second of the contest, with fellow freshmen Brandi Wilson (Fenton, Mich.) and Theresa DiMaggio (Shelby Township, Mich.) adding assists.
Even with the extra attacker, Trine was unable to knot up the game and they would lose 4-3.
The Thunder fall to 8-11-2 overall and 6-8-2 in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association following the loss. They will finish off the regular season when they host Concordia University Wisconsin for a doubleheader starting on Friday, Feb. 15 with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m.