Updated stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Host Nazareth scored twice in the second period Saturday to rally past William Smith for a 2-1 women's hockey victory at the Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex.
The victory was the second of a big weekend for the Golden Flyers, who also knocked off third-ranked Elmira Friday. Nazareth improved to 8-1 overall and 4-1 in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference, while William Smith dropped to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the UCHC. Nazareth and William Smith meet again Feb. 23 in Geneva.
"We're really proud of the effort for the entire weekend," said Nazareth Coach
Chris Baudo. "To play a William Smith team that is incredibly hard-working and well coached and to stick with it and grind out a 2-1 win is a great way to cap the weekend. We're really proud of the effort over the entire weekend and hopefully it's something we can build on as we move forward."
The Golden Flyers enjoyed a sizable 55-25 edge in shots on goal, but found themselves trailing 1-0 after the first 20-minute period after the Herons' Lexi Nottke scored at 14:15, just seconds after a Nazareth power play had expired. She was able to knock the puck loose from a Nazareth defender and beat Nazareth goaltender
Adrianna Brehm for her first goal of the season.
Nazareth recovered early in the second period to tie the score. Freshman
Makenna Wiljanen tipped a shot past William Smith goalie Olivia Williams after
Madison Nichols fired a shot toward the goal. That came at 3:18 with
Stephanie Kubis picking up a second assist.
About seven minutes later,
Hailey Redders scored what proved to be the game-winning goal, her team-best eighth of the season, as she beat Williams from the left slot with assistance from
Abbey Luth and
Celena Rea.
Nazareth had several more scoring chances thereafter, including a 5-on-3 power play opportunity in the third period, but Williams played well in making 53 saves for the Herons in goal.
William Smith had five power play chances as well, but Brehm followed up Friday's 31-save performance against Elmira with 24 saves against the Herons, who were coming off a 1-0 win at Utica Friday.
Nazareth's next game is Saturday at home against Castleton State at 4 p.m. The Golden Flyers follow that up with a road game at Amherst Sunday at 1 p.m.
