Syracuse Forced to Settle for Another Tie After Late Penn State Goal

Alysha Burriss scored the first Orange goal and assisted on the second

Story and Photo by Cody Love

SYRACUSE, N.Y.- The Syracuse Orange played a solid game and led for most of it, but it was not enough to avoid another tie at home.

Amy Petersen scored a powerplay goal with less than four minutes left in regulation to bring the Penn State Nittany Lions into a 2-2 tie with Syracuse at Tennity Ice Pavilion on Saturday.

Syracuse already has five ties on the season, all of them coming at home.

Although the Orange outplayed the Nittany Lions for much of the game and held a commanding 52-17 shot advantage, Penn State went 2-4 on the power play to equal Syracuse's goal output.

"I was proud of our kids, the way we started the game," Head Coach Paul Flanagan said, "but when you can't bury those chances, and you let a team hang around, bad things can happen."

The Orange, which started out sluggish in the first game between the two teams last night, came busting out of the gates this afternoon.

Freshman forward Alysha Burriss picked up her second goal of the season only five minutes into the contest.

"We got pucks to the net," Burriss said, "I just got lucky, got the rebound, and I walked around the goalie and the far side was open."

Before the halfway mark of the period, Penn State got its first powerplay goal as defenseman Bella Sutton found Laura Bowman open in front of the net, and she stuffed it past Syracuse goalie Jenn Gilligan.

Towards the end of the first, Syracuse got a power play opportunity of its own.  Defensman Kaillie Goodnough's shot from the blueline hit the chest of Penn State goalie Hannah Ehresmann, but she was unable to cover it.  Jessica Sibley managed to poke the puck past the goal line, with Burriss and Jessica Sibley also joining the scramble.

The referee signalled for a goal on the ice, and the call stood after video review.

The second period and most of the third saw no goals, but plenty of shots and big saves by Gilligan and Ehresmann.

Petersen's goal was the result of a nice feed to the front by Bowman, who was behind the net.

The chemistry between Petersen and Bowman was apparent all weekend long.  The two also played together at Minnetonka High School in Minnesota.

Both teams had power plays in overtime, but could not capitalize on them.

Syracuse is set for another home conference weekend, as its faces rival Mercyhurst next Friday and Saturday.

Penn State takes a break from conference action as it goes to Colgate next weekend.


Around the Conference

Lindenwood secured a three-point weekend at RIT, winning 3-1.

Meanwhile, Mercyhurst held serve at home against Robert Morris, earning the weekend sweep with a 4-1 win.

After the first weekend of conference play, Syracuse is tied for second with Lindenwood, one point behind Mercyhurst.  Penn State's one point leaves them tied for fourth with RIT.


Postgame Comments

Paul Flanagan

Alysha Burriss

Jenn Gilligan

Julie Knerr