Leschyshyn Nets Goal in Orange Loss to RMU

Saturday, January 23

Syracuse, NY

3 PM

Syracuse University

2-6-1

Robert Morris

7-2-1

Robert Morris

Syracuse

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

1/23/2021 8:29:00 PM | Ice Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

Syracuse sophomore Anna Leschyshyn scored her first goal of the season in a 2-1 loss to Robert Morris on Saturday afternoon at Tennity Ice Pavilion. With the Orange trailing 1-0, Leschyshyn fired a shot that RMU goalie Raygan Kirk popped up in the air and then hustled after the loose puck on the left side of the goalmouth and poked it in past Kirk to tie the game with less than six minutes remaining. Syracuse forward Emma Polaski earned the assist on the goal. The Colonials responded 32 seconds later when Ellie Marcovsky scored the game-winner. Orange goaltender Allison Small recorded 34 saves in the game, including three one-on-one stops against the RMU attack. It marks the fifth one-goal loss for the Orange (2-6-1 overall, 2-4-1 College Hockey America) this season.

"We have to find a way to turn one goal losses into victories," said head coach Paul Flanagan. "We are trying to zero in and focus on some little things that what we need to do better, individually and collectively. Scoring two goals in six periods (against Robert Morris) is not going to do it. (Goalie) Allison (Small) is playing well and she is giving us a chance to be in every game this year, so we have to take advantage of that. We are pretty disappointed and down. We have to put yesterday and today behind us and move forward. We have to figure out how to make these one-goal games go in our favor. That is what we have to work on."

Robert Morris (7-2-1) scored the first goal of the game with 3:21 remaining in the first period when Anjelica Diffendal positioned herself in front of the Syracuse goal and redirected a shot from the point past Small. The teams battled back and forth in the second period and through most of the third before Leschyshyn knotted the score.

Small's 34 saves increase her career total to 895 in 33 games. including three big one-on-one stops against the RMU attack.

Syracuse returns to the ice next weekend in a two-game series at Mercyhurst. Game one is at 2 pm on Friday followed by the second game at 2 pm on Saturday. The game will be streamed live via Stretch.

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