ITHACA, N.Y. – The Cornell women's ice hockey team split its weekend series with Niagara as it fell to the Purple Eagles, 2-1, this afternoon at Lynah Rink. Niagara jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and then held off a Big Red barrage in the third period.

 

For the second straight game, Niagara goalie Jenni Bauer kept her team in the game, posting 37 saves to earn the win, while Amanda Mazzotta tallied 20 in the loss.

 

Cornell (6-4-1) outshot the Purple Eagles, 38-22, including a margin of 17-1 in the final period. Chelsea Karpenko got the Big Red on the score board with a power play goal at the 14:18 mark of the third period. Lauriane Rougeau shot the puck into the right corner from the left point. Liz Zorn picked up the puck on the right side of the net and found Karpenko on the left side of the crease. Karpenko one-timed it into the net before Bauer had time to respond.

 

Niagara (6-5-4) got a pair of goals in the first period from Autumn Stuntz and Jenna Hendrikx, with Frances McPhail assisting on both tallies. On the first goal, Stuntz picked up the puck in the Cornell zone, skated down the ice and slid it through Mazzotta's legs for a short-handed goal. Just over two minutes later, McPhail came up with a turnover deep in the Big Red defensive end and poke checked the puck to Hendrikx, who converted to make it a 2-0 game.

 

Cornell is back in action next weekend as it plays host to Yale and Brown on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5, respectively. The game with the Bulldogs is slated for 7 p.m., while the puck drops against the Bears at 4 p.m.