Women’s Hockey: Norwich Wins Fifth Straight, Topping Conn College 5-0

Posted on by George Commo

Courtesy Norwich Sports Information

NORTHFIELD –– Junior defenseman Samantha Benoit (Bow, N.H.) scored twice to lead the Norwich University women’s ice hockey team to its fifth straight win with a 5-0 victory over Conn. College on Tuesday night at Kreitzberg Arena in non-conference action.

Freshman forward Julia Masotta (Tewksbury, Mass.) notched three assists, while sophomore goalie Alexa Berg (West Fargo, N.D.) stopped all 18 shots she faced to earn the shutout and lead the Cadets to the win.

Norwich (5-1-0, 2-0-0 NEHC won its second-straight game vs. a NESCAC opponent and improved to 5-0-0 all-time vs. the Camels.

Benoit had the game’s only goal through two periods and then the Cadets opened up things up in the third period, scoring four times to breeze to the victory.

Benoit scored 1:28 into the second period, ripping a slap shot from the point off a faceoff win by Masotta for her first goal of the season. Benoit’s blast beat Conn. College starting goalie MJ Peters up high for what would prove to be the game-winning goal.

Norwich opened things up in the third period with senior forward Alyssa Hulst (Scarborough, Maine) scoring her first goal of the season off a pretty setup in the neutral zone by Masotta and Maddie Moell (Clarence Center, N.Y.). Moell fed a pass to Masotta who sent Hulst into the zone from the left wing. She skated in and fired a wrist shot past Peters to make it 2-0 at the 1:46 mark.

Just 40 seconds later Kelley Madden (Novelty, Ohio) scored her third goal of the season as the puck deflected off her skate after Kayla Goleniak’s (Canton, Mich.) shot bounced out to Wopperer who sent it directly back towards the net.

McGovern scored her third goal of the season at the 4:10 mark of the third period, jamming the puck home off assists from Mikah Baptiste (Ottawa, Ontario) and Amanda Conway (Methuen, Mass.).

Benoit capped the scoring at the 6:46 mark of the third period with a 4-on-3 power play goal off assists from Masotta and Molly Flanagan (Lutz, Fla.).

Berg improved to 2-1-0 on the season and earned her second career shutout. Peters made 25 saves before being pulled in the third period. Courtney Peyko made seven saves in relief.

Norwich will close out its pre-Thanksgiving schedule with two more league contests at home at Kreitzberg Arena. The Cadets host Salem State on Friday, Nov. 22nd at 4 p.m. and then Plymouth State on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. in NEHC action.