POTSDAM, N.Y. - Sophomore forward Keely Towne (Potsdam, N.Y./Potsdam Ice Storm) and senior captain Kaylee Merrill (Wasilla, Alaska/Anchorage North Stars) each scored two goals as the SUNY Potsdam women's hockey team (6-4) defeated Rivier University (2-5-2) 6-1 on Saturday afternoon. Senior forward Emily DellaNeve (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) and senior defenseman Alex Quinn (Potsdam, N.Y./St. Lawrence Steel) also scored for the Bears and junior goaltender Ellie Zurfluh (Arvada, Colo./Team Colorado) made 18 saves for her ninth career victory.
Rivier was solid through the first nine minutes of the contest, matching Potsdam in shots and scoring chances. However, Towne burst the Raiders' bubble at 9:14, sending the puck into a scrum in front of the net and past Rivier sophomore goalie Rachel Symmes (Chugiak, Alaska/Alaska All-Stars). Graduate student forward Makenzie Martin (Potsdam, N.Y./Potsdam High School) and senior assistant captain Taylor Swamp (Akwesasne, N.Y./St. Lawrence Steel) picked up the assists. The Bears gained momentum from a pair of power plays in the first, but led 1-0 after one.
Potsdam broke the game open with five goals in the second period. Merrill struck twice in 29 seconds to give the Bears a 3-0 lead by 3:07. Freshman defenseman Rachell Cain (Skaneateles, N.Y./Syracuse Valley Eagles) and junior defenseman Megan Sheehan (Akron, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) assisted on the first goal and senior forward Megan Teachout (Auburn, N.Y./Oswego State) and Quinn had the helpers on the second. Towne notched her second at 11:18, slamming home a rebound off a shot from Martin to make it 4-0. Junior defenseman Rebecca Holmes (Lawtons, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) had the second assist. DellaNeve struck at 13:33 with another assist from Cain and Teachout apiece. At 16:30, Quinn caught the Raiders flatfooted during a line change, picked up the puck in the neutral zone and ripped a shot over Symmes' shoulder. Potsdam led 6-0 after 20 minutes.
The Raiders finally got on the board with a power-play goal just 40 seconds into the second period. Freshman forward Jessica Driscoll (Tewksbury, Mass./Tewksbury) wristed a shot from the right point that Zurfluh never saw. Rivier had a final power play midway through the period, but Potsdam shut the Raiders down.
Symmes finished with 41 saves on the afternoon. The Raider were 1-for-3 on the man advantage and the Bears were 0-for-2.
With her three goals and an assist on the weekend, Merrill now has 13 goals and four assists for 17 points this season and 42 goals and 12 assists for 54 points in her career. The reigning NEWHL Player of the Week now ranks seventh in Potsdam's NCAA-era in points and third in goals.
The Bears return to NEWHL play on Tuesday night when they head down Route 11 to face SUNY Canton at 7 p.m. The Roos took the first contest of the series 5-4 on November 18 in Maxcy Ice Arena.