Orange Lose Early Two-Goal Lead in Setback to No. 6 Cornell

Tuesday, January 29

Syracuse, NY

7 PM

Syracuse University

6-18-2

Cornell

14-2-5

Cornell

Syracuse

Orange Lose Early Two-Goal Lead in Setback to No. 6 Cornell

1/29/2019 10:30:00 PM | Ice Hockey

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Orange took a two-goal lead eight minutes into the opening period, but it would not be enough to beat one of the top teams in the country. The Syracuse women's hockey team lost to No. 6 Cornell, 5-2, in its final non-conference game of the season.

The loss moved Syracuse's overall record to 6-18-2 this season and snapped the team's two-game point streak.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Similar to the matchup against Cornell earlier this season, the Orange jumped out to an early lead.

Junior forward Anonda Hoppner found the back of the net four minutes into the first period to give the Orange an 1-0 lead. Senior defenseman Allie Munroe netted her 14^th assist of the year on the goal, while freshman defenseman Lauren Bellefontaine was credited with an assist - her ninth - as well.

Sophomore forward Emma Polaski followed up Hoppner's goal with one of her own a few minutes later. It was her 10th of the year and came via an assist by freshman forward Abby Moloughney.

Cornell responded, however. Grace Graham found herself with the puck in the slot and fired home her sixth goal of the season.

Cornell kept squeezing the juice out of the Orange in the second, eventually getting the equalizer when Paige Lewis deflected a shot from Devon Facchinato with the back of her head. The deflection found twine and knotted the game at two goals apiece.

The Big Red took the lead from SU for good five minutes into the third period. Kristin O'Neill put the game-winning goal past Orange junior goaltender Allison Small to give Cornell the lead, and the Big Red would add two more goals to before the end of the game.

OF NOTE
Munroe played in her 125th collegiate game against Cornell. Her assist gives 43 in her career, two behind Margot Scharfe and Julie Rising at No. 9 in the program's record book.

Small made her second start of the season and had 25 saves, pushing her career total to 280.

UP NEXT
Syracuse next travels to Erie, Pa., to take on Mercyhurst (11-10-3, 8-3-0 CHA) in a two-game series. Syracuse lost both games in the home half of the conference series back in October.

Syracuse is back home against RIT on Feb. 16. Puck drops at 7 p.m.

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