ITHACA, N.Y. - The Cornell women's ice hockey team defeated Union, 5-3, to close the regular season with a victory, Saturday evening. With the Big Red win, the 2019-20 team is the first in program history to go undefeated in the regular season in ECAC Hockey play.
 
Junior Maddie Mills opened the game less than three minutes into the first period. Taking a pass from senior Micah Zandee-Hart, Mills sent the puck into the net, with just one touch, from inside the slot.
 
With 8:04 on the clock, sophomore Gillis Frechette extended the Big Red's lead with a tally of her own. Expecting to stop a shot from senior Jaime Bourbonnais, the Dutchwoman goalie did not expect Frechette to grab the puck for a change in direction.
 
As Union was unable to answer in the final eight minutes of the period, Cornell entered the send period with a 2-0 lead.
 
Junior defender Kendra Nealey scored her first goal in almost two years to add to the Big Red's lead. Scrambling to gain sole possession of the puck, junior Finley Frechette sent a pass down and around the back of the net for freshman Izzy Daniel to pick up. Daniel proceeded to skate with the puck in Nealey's general direction. Following a quick, short pass, Nealey aimed her shot towards the post of the goal. With the perfect angle, Nealey's puck hit the post and hit the inside of the net on the opposite side of the goal.
 
The second-period clock had just passed five minutes when junior Joie Phelps scored her goal. Skating towards the goal next to Phelps, senior Micah Zandee-Hart passed the puck to the junior. With a simple stick touch, Phelps tipped the puck into the net.
 
Following the final break, Union scored its first goal seven minutes into the third period. Mills answered just three minutes later to bring the Big Red's lead back to four goals. During Cornell's second power play, Bourbonnais and Zandee-Hart passed the puck back and forth before Bourbonnais sent the puck into the slot. Seeing Bourbonnais' dump, Mills went for the one-touch shot for the fifth Big Red goal.
 
The Dutchwomen scored two final goals, both during power plays, to close out the game. Despite Union's third period goals, Cornell earned the 5-3 victory on Senior Day.
 
Junior goalie Lindsay Browning stopped 26 shots, including 12 in the second period, to help secure the win.
 
As the regular season closes, the postseason begins. Cornell will host St. Lawrence for a three-game series next weekend (Feb. 28-Mar. 1) for the ECAC Hockey Quarterfinals.