ITHACA, N.Y. -- The No. 6/6 Cornell women's hockey team blanked Union 7-0 Friday night at Lynah Rink. The Big Red had five multipoint performers led by Kristin O'Neill's three points. This marks the first time since Jan. 10, 2017 that the Big Red scored seven goals in a contest.
 
The game also paired as the Big Red's Concussion Awareness Weekend game. The purpose is to demonstrate the league-wide commitment to player welfare and safety and set a positive example for other leagues, teams and athletes of all ages.
 
"We've had some games where we've had a number of chances and weren't able to finish on them," head coach Doug Derraugh said. "Tonight we did a good job of finishing on the ones that we did early."
 
Cornell (15-2-5, 12-2-1 ECACH) scored three first period goals, all of which came off Union (3-22-2, 1-13-1 ECAH) turnovers. The Big Red opened the contest with two quick tallies in the early portion of the first period.
 
Jaime Bourbonnais struck first just 3:28 into the contest to give Cornell the 1-0 lead. After Union turned the puck over in the neutral zone, Finley Frechette track the puck along the boards and flipped it forward to Joie Phelps, who gained the zone. Phelps fired a shot that was turned away by Union goaltender Amelia Murray, but Bourbonnais charged in and put home the rebound.
 
It took just 31 seconds for the Big Red to add to its lead. The Big Red again forced a turnover in the neutral zone to set up the goal. Pippy Gerace extended out her stick and pushed the puck forward to Paige Lewis, who had a clear path to the net. Lewis skated in and ripped a shot past Murray to put the Big Red up 2-0.
 
The Big Red added its final goal of the first period from Lenka Serdar with 3:19 remaining. Serdar, who was applying pressure on the forecheck, poked the puck away from the Union player who had possession and raced towards the net. She then patiently waited before firing a decisive shot to right of Murray. Following the goal, Union replaced Murray with Coco Francis in net.
 
"We came out with an aggressive mindset," Derraugh said. "We got on them quickly and forced some turnovers and like I said unlike some of the other games we were able to finish on the opportunities that we had."
 
O'Neill netted her lone goal of the night just seven seconds into the Big Red's power play. Micah Zandee-Hart found Maddie Mills near the left circle, meanwhile O'Neill planted herself in the slot. Mills collected the pass and drew the Union defender who was shadowing O'Neill and then passed the puck over to her linemate. O'Neill blasted a one-timer past Francis in net.
 
The Big Red's fifth goal of the evening came from Pippy Gerace, who cleaned up the first attempt from Bourbonnais. Gerace had fallen down on the play and somehow managed to fire a shot from her right knee to put the Big Red up 5-0.
 
Cornell switched its gears to strengthening is defense in the third period, allowing just one shot on goal yet the Big Red still managed to add two more goals to its total.
 
Maddie Mills was credited with the Big Red's sixth goal of the game, which came on the power play with 3:49 left in the contest. The goal came on a pile up in front of the net. With Sam Burke and O'Neill taking hacks at the puck it squirmed out and Mills put home the backhander.
 
The Big Red finished the night 2-for-2 on the power play and held the Dutchwomen to 0-for-3.
 
Lewis added her second of the night by tipping in the puck after a Union player mistakenly placed it on the side of the goal.
 
Lindsay Browning started in net for the Big Red, playing the first 40 minutes. The sophomore made a total of 10 saves en route to her third win of the season. "She was real solid," Derraugh said. "Those games can be tough because there can be stretches where you don't get much action and then all of a sudden you get a breakaway or a two on one and you have to come up with a big save. Especially early on in the game we gave up some really good opportunities and she came up big for us in those moments."
 
Kaity McKenzie came on in relief of Browning in the third period, making her collegiate debut. McKenzie saved the one shot she faced.

The Big Red takes the ice at 3 p.m. Saturday when it takes on Rensselaer at Lynah Rink. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 

THE BIG RED'S LINEUP

NOTES TO KNOW

• This marks the team's sixth shutout of the season and third at Lynah Rink.
• Cornell is now 8-1-0 at home this season.
• Cornell outshot Union 37-11, including 16-1 in the third period.
• In three of the Big Red's last five games 10 players have recorded a point.
• Lewis tied her career high with two goals. The only other time she netted two in a game was against Colgate on Dec. 2, 2017.
• Gerace picked up her fourth career multipoint game and first since the 2016-17 season.