Women’s Ice Hockey Blanks Anna Maria, 3-0

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Rivier women's ice hockey team shut out Anna Maria in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) showdown Saturday night at Buffone Arena.

The Raiders head into the break with a 4-7-0 (3-1-0 MASCAC) record, while the AMCATS dropped to 2-6-0 (2-4-0 MASCAC).

Rivier picked up right where they left off the night before and recorded the game's first tally just 4:40 into the opening frame. A face-off in the offensive zone led to sophomore forward Rebecca McKelvey connecting with a wide-open junior defender Olivia Schultz at the blue one who rifled a shot past the goalkeeper's glove to notch her first collegiate goal.

The Raiders weren't done yet as senior forward Briana Paxson fed a pass through three AMCATS that found sophomore forward Tia Picardi on a breakaway and finished by dangling her way to double up Anna Maria, with just over three minutes remaining in the first.

The AMCATS sparked a shift in momentum in the second period, outshooting Rivier 9-6, but could not convert on any of their chances by the time the horn sounded for the second intermission.

The Raiders got back in the driver's seat in the third as they outshot the AMCATS, 9-7. Senior forward Brianna Parent linked up with McKelvey to seal the deal with an empty netter with 21.8 seconds left in the game to record her second point of the contest and her fourth of the weekend.  

Senior goalkeeper Rachel Hinkley recorded 24 saves in her second shutout of the season.

The Raiders will return to the ice Saturday, Jan. 11 when they travel to New York to take on Manhattanville in a non-conference bout. Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Playland Ice Casino.