The Hamilton College women’s hockey team opened its season Friday night, losing 2-1 at Williams in the opener of a two-game weekend NESCAC series in Williamstown, Mass.
Box score
The Continentals (0-1-0, 0-1 NESCAC) skated with the advantage for the last 2:30 of regulation – a Williams penalty gave them a power play with 2:30 left and Hamilton replaced goaltender Sam Walther ’18 with an extra attacker in the final minute – but Christina Cieroux made the last of her 19 saves to preserve the win.
Hannah Bartlett ’16 scored Hamilton’s goal, tying the score with just 43 seconds remaining in the second period.
Bartlett’s goal was the 14th of her career. Katie Parkman ’17 and Olivia Hawes ’19 picked up assists on the play. Parkman raised her career total to 17 while Hawes – one of six first years making their collegiate debut – was credited with her first point. The goal snapped Cieroux’s 164:17 shutout streak against the Continentals.
The Ephs (1-0-0, 1-0) scored the winning goal with 5:28 to go in the third period, with Talia Simon tipping in a power-play shot by Natalie Bernstein. Candace Luce also assisted on the game winner.
Simon’s goal came two minutes after the Continentals had killed off a 5-on-3 Williams advantage. Hamilton had its own two-person advantage earlier in the period, skating 5-on-3 for 1:18.
Williams took a 1-0 lead with 3:54 left in the first period when Bernstein capped a 3-on-1 break with a short-handed goal. Bernstein stuffed in the rebound of a shot taken by Kearan Burke after Alex Lovas took a long pass off the glass from Hanna Beattie to set up the rush.
Walther made 34 saves for the Continentals, who were outshot 36-20. That included a 10-3 advantage for Williams in the opening period.
The two teams conclude their series Saturday at 3 p.m.
