Syracuse Takes Down LIU 5-2
By: Ben Spector
CitrusTV’s Ice Hockey Beat Reporter
SYRACUSE, NY: It was the first-ever meeting between Syracuse and Long Island, and it was all about The ‘Cuse. SU dominated this contest 5-2. Amelia Van Vliet made her first career start in goal for the Orange.
The first period started off messy from both sides. LIU was penalized twice five minutes into the game, and a couple of minutes later, SU was penalized, as Jessica DiGirolamo got two minutes for hooking. However, Syracuse was not fazed on the penalty kill. Forward Anna Leschyshyn scored a shorthanded goal on a 2-on-1. This was the first shorthanded goal that the Orange have scored all season, and it gave the team a 1-0 lead early. Syracuse was not done scoring, though. With under a minute left, Shelby Colaf had an absolute snipe from the right circle to double the Orange’s lead. SU went into the first intermission leading 2-0.
In the middle of the second period, Ashley Morrow got two minutes for holding, putting SU on the advantage. After Syracuse couldn’t score, Anna Leschyshyn was called for a penalty, and, who else but, Ashley Morrow put one away for LIU to cut the lead in half. It was Syracuse who got the last laugh of the period, as Lauren Bellefontaine scored with only seconds remaining in the period. The Orange entered the third period up 3-1.
After a choppy beginning to the third with penalty after penalty, Anna Leschyshyn scores her second goal of the night. This one looked eerily similar to her first one, as the puck hit the crossbar and went down behind the goal line. It wasn’t 4-1 for long, as LIU answered right back. Abby Latorella intercepts a pass and shoots the puck right into the back of the net. However, that couldn’t spur on a comeback for the Sharks. Forward Tatum White buried her second career goal, and the second powerplay goal for Syracuse on the night, to pad SU’s lead.
Syracuse will play LIU tomorrow at 2, looking to win its second straight game and second consecutive series.
