DiGirolamo Scores Two in Orange Win

Wednesday, February 3

Rochester, NY

6 PM

Syracuse University

3-6-1

RIT

1-9-0

Syracuse

RIT

2/3/2021 11:18:00 PM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

Senior defender Jessica DiGirolamo joined the Orange ice hockey 60 Point Club after scoring two goals in Syracuse's 3-0 win at RIT on Wednesday at the Gene Polisseni Center. She has tallied 20 goals and 40 assists in her 119 career games. It is the third time DiGirolamo has scored two goals in a game in her Syracuse career. Senior goaltender Allison Small kept the clean sheet with 23 saves, recording her fifth career shutout and first since a 4-0 win against Lindenwood in the 2020 CHA Tournament. Small has 918 saves in 34 games at Syracuse.

"The main difference tonight was the determination we showed after the first period, we were much more determined and that changed the game," said head coach Paul Flanagan. "RIT was well-prepared and played really well. It could have been three or four to zero RIT in the first period but Allison (Small) played really well. She quietly earned a really nice shutout tonight."

Junior Abby Moloughney scored the first goal of the game for the Orange (3-6-1 overall, 3-4-1 College Hockey America) six minutes into the second period. Junior defender Shelby Calof found Moloughney with a cross-ice pass as Moloughney slipped through the RIT defensive wall. She took the puck herself and buried it in the top right of the net over RIT goalie Taylor Liotta. Moloughney leads the Orange in points this season with nine (four goals and five assists).

Less than three minutes later DiGirolamo gave Syracuse a two-goal advantage scoring on a give-and-go with junior forward Lauren Bellefontaine. DiGirolamo sealed the game with her second goal less than four minutes into the third. She cleaned up her own rebound after a deflection by Liotta.

Syracuse killed two RIT power plays, improving its season penalty kill percentage to 94.6, which ties for second nationally. The Orange lead the nation in combined special teams percentage with a 64.1 mark.

Syracuse returns to the ice on Friday, February 5th at 7 pm to launch a two-game home series against Mercyhurst. The second game is Saturday, February 6th at 3 pm. The games will be streamed live on Cuse.com.

"We know the things we have to work on tomorrow to get ready for Friday night. It is a big series for us this weekend," Flanagan said.

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