EAST MEADOW, NY–The Long Island University Women’s Hockey team was back in action Friday afternoon against the Franklin Pierce Raven in the NEWHA conference play. The LIU Sharks tied the Ravens 2-2 and snapped an eight-game winning streak. However, the Sharks’ nine-game unbeaten streak (8-0-1) surpassed an eight-game winning streak early last season for the longest unbeaten streak in the program’s four-year history.
Scoring
Junior Jenna Ruiz opened up the scoring sheet for Franklin Pierce University on a power play goal just 29 seconds into penalty kills for the Sharks. Bethany Ross and Ava Kison were credited with the assist 6:26 into the first.
Ruiz struck again for the Ravens 13:22 into the second period with her second goal of the night to make it a two-nothing game. McKenzie Rich and Stefanie Caban picked up the assist for Franklin Pierce.
Junior forward Ashley Morrow put the LIU Sharks on the board just under a minute later on the power play for her second goal of the season and first power-play goal of the year. Abby Latorella and Carrigan Umpherville picked up the assist at the 14:20 mark of the second period.
Comeback Machine
Despite the tie, LIU was able to battle back from a 2-0 deficit, and battling back has become part of this LIU Women’s Hockey team.
“I think that’s one of the things with our team this season that we experienced at the beginning playing a couple of ranked teams. We always compete till the end, and we always find a way to come back. I don’t think we’re used to that mentality given the last few weekends, and we’re trying to get back to how do we play that full 60 minutes and start off the game the way we finished,” LIU head coach Kelly Nash said.
Special Teams struggled
Just six minutes in, the Ravens scored on the power play. In addition, the Sharks went 1 for 4 on the power play, but the power play goal didn’t come til attempt number three in the second after two unsuccessful stints in the first period.
“Our message for the power play, in general, this week going into the games was keeping it simple. Making sure we get pucks on the net and then being the first one to those loose pucks, and I think simplicity is really what we’re trying to emphasize not only on the power play but five on five in general,” Nash said.
Next up: LIU is back against Franklin Pierce on Saturday at 2 PM ET at Northwell Health Ice Center and can be streamed on ESPN+.
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