POTSDAM, N.Y. - The SUNY Potsdam women's hockey team (4-6) fell to Hamilton College (4-3) on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 6-1. Senior forward Lucy Condon (Waterloo, Ontario/Waterloo Ravens) scored for the Bears. Senior defenseman Kelli Mackey (Sewickley, Pa./Union College) recorded a hat trick for the Continentals.
A slow start proved detrimental to the Bears on Saturday as the Continentals started the scoring less than a minute into the opening stanza. Mackey scored her first goal just 59 seconds in, with assists from Maddie Hong (Glastonbury, Conn./Connecticut Jr. Eagles) and Maura Holden (Hingham, Ma./East Coast Wizards). Just over two minutes later, Hamilton doubled its lead on Mackey's second goal of the game. Following the second Hamilton goal, the Bears found their stride and were able to even play for the remainder of the period, but the score was unchanged at the break.
Play started back and forth to begin the second period, but it was Hamilton who struck first once again. Just under five minutes into the period, Michaela Giuttari (Warwick, R.I./Loomis Chaffee School) let a shot go from the top of the left faceoff circle that squeaked under Bears senior captain Alexa Pfeiffer's (Sylvania, Ohio/Little Caesar's) left pad. The goal was assisted by Hyla Mosher (Hudson, Quebec/The Hotchkiss School). Senior goalie Kayla McCabe (Watertown, N.Y./Syracuse Nationals) took over in net for the Bears following the third Hamilton goal, hoping to provide a much-needed spark to the Bears game.
Unfortunately, the Bears were whistled for a penalty shortly after and gave up the fourth Continental goal on the penalty kill. The Hamilton power-play goal was scored by Kate Piacenza (Billerica, Mass./Boston Jr. Eagles) and assisted by Jess Haviland (Wall Township, N.J./Union College). Mackey finished her hat trick at the 12:55 mark of the second period on a goal assisted by Allie Curry (Grasonville, Md./Washington Pride) and Timary Malley (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Academy).
The Bears showed no quit and fought to get on the board before the period ended. Potsdam finally broke through on Condon's goal at the 16:58 mark of the second period. Junior defenseman Allie Banas (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) fed the puck up the boards in the Bears defensive end to senior forward Miranda Kolb (Watertown, N.Y./SUNY Cortland) in the neutral zone. Kolb then head-manned the puck to Condon who attacked the left side of the zone, sniping a top shelf shot over the right shoulder of the Hamilton goaltender. The Continentals took their 5-1 lead into the third period.
The Bears were unable to close ground in the third. Just two minutes into the final period, the Continentals struck for the final time on a goal by Mya Berretta (West Haven, Conn./Connecticut Jr. Eagles). The goal was assisted by Maddie Beitler (Cumberland, R.I./New Jersey Colonials).
Pfeiffer and McCabe each stopped 18 shots to combine for 36 saves on the day, while sophomore goalie Sidney Molnar (Norfolk, N.Y./Connecticut Jr. Eagles) stopped 23 shots in net for Hamilton. The Bears were 0-3 on the power play, while Hamilton was 1-5.
The Bears have a month off as they head into winter break. Potsdam returns to the ice on January 7, when the team heads to Vermont to take on No. 2 Middlebury College