WICE falls to No. 7 Robert Morris

By Luke McGrath

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Orange lost its third CHA conference game of the season Friday night when it took on Robert Morris.

The Colonials squashed any Orange hopes that Syracuse could tie it for the lead with a win Friday night by scoring the first two goals of the game.

Maeve Garvey got the scoring started for Robert Morris when she buried a puck past Syracuse goaltender Abbey Miller on a breakaway with 13 minutes to play in the second period.

Less than two minutes later, the Colonials attacked again. Jessica Gazzola scored on an odd man rush, assisted by Maggie LaGue, completely taking over the momentum of the game.

Syracuse bounced back in the third when Megan Quinn knocked a slap shot from the point off the post and into the net. The power play goal was assisted by Jessica Sibley and Alysha Burriss.

With just over nine minutes remaining, SU was not able to find the back of the net and Robert Morris capitalized on an empty net goal late in the third.

Throughout the course of the game, Syracuse produced numerous scoring opportunities. However it was unable to outscore the Colonials.

Junior forward and assistant captain Stephanie Grossi said the team needs to be more supportive of one another.

“We gotta be cheering for each other throughout the whole game and when things aren’t going right we still gotta be cheering for each other,” Grossi said.

Junior defender Megan Quinn hinted at a similar lack of chemistry on the ice.

“It’s kind of a tough situation…I mean there’s a couple kids that could make the easier play and they don’t and I think as a team we need to work on that,” Quinn said.

Head coach Paul Flanagan simply didn’t think the team came ready to play.

“I just don’t think we were ready mentally and that’s my job, I have to have the team ready,” Flanagan said. “I thought our club looked nervous, I told them [the team] at the end of the first period it’s like we’re out playing Wisconsin in front of 18,000 people.”

Flanagan went on to say that it is easy for him to tell when his squad is nervous based on the mistakes they make.

Syracuse will have a chance for revenge Saturday afternoon at the Tennity Ice Pavilion when the Orange play the second leg of its home and home series versus Robert Morris.

A win Saturday would put the Orange two points behind the Colonials for first place in the CHA.