The 50th Anniversary Celebration of Meehan Auditorium was dampened this weekend when the women's hockey team fell to ECAC foes Quinnipiac and Princeton. Despite solid goaltending from Aubree Moore '14 and Katie Jamieson '13, the Bears (3-5-5, 1-4-3 ECAC) struggled to keep pace with a powerful Bobcat (10-7-1, 6-2-1) team Friday. Bruno appeared the aggressor Saturday against Princeton but could not find the back of the net in time to make a comeback. The Bears have not scored in over 145 minutes and have dropped three games straight.
Quinnipiac 3, Brown 0
The Bobcats came out roaring in the first period, firing seven shots in the first five minutes. But the Bears' defense seemed up to the challenge, killing two penalties to keep the period scoreless.
"I thought Quinnipiac looked excellent," said Head Coach Amy Bourbeau. "They got out to a really aggressive and quick and physical start, and I think it rattled us a little bit. It got us off our game."
The Bobcats broke through just three minutes into the second period in unorthodox fashion. A clash of bodies in front of the Bears' net sent the puck sliding toward goal, and a replay confirmed that the puck slipped past Moore and fully crossed the line, giving the Bobcats a 1-0 advantage.
Bruno had a chance of its own four minutes later when co-captain Paige Pyett '12 fired a shot on frame from the blue line, but her effort was denied by the Quinnipiac goaltender. Despite being outshot 17-5, the Bears held on to keep the deficit to one going into the third.
But the Bobcats outshot the Bears 45-16 total, and a second goal seemed inevitable. Quinnipiac doubled its lead with eight minutes remaining when forward Bethany Dymarczyk put home a centered pass through Moore's legs to bring the score to 2-0. Another goal two minutes later put the game out of reach, and the Bears fell 3-0.
Princeton 3, Brown 0
Having skated the day before, Bruno came out slowly in the first period, struggling to connect passes in the neutral zone. The Tigers pounced on the sluggish Bears and got on the board two-and-a-half minutes in after a screened shot from the wing got past Jamieson, taking the early 1-0 lead.
"We started out kind of the same way we did in the Quinnipiac game," Bourbeau said. "We were tired, still injured. Just not at our best."
Bruno had a chance to get level 13 minutes in on a power play, but a tripping penalty of their own forced four-on-four hockey. The Bears nearly killed their penalty, but a shot from the middle deflected past Jamieson to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
The Bears created more scoring opportunities in the second period, outshooting the Tigers nine to six. Forward Brittany Moorehead '15 had an open shot four minutes in, but the Princeton goalie made a deft pad save to keep out her effort.
On offense, the Tigers continued capitalizing on their chances, and scored a third goal seven minutes into the third period. Alex Kinney skated unchallenged toward the Bears' net, and slung a shot top-shelf past Jamieson to increase the Princeton lead to 3-0.
Forward Jessica Hoyle's '14 breakaway effort ringed off the crossbar five minutes later to end a frustrating, scoreless weekend for the Bears.
"I think the problem was passing and receiving," Bourbeau said. "It's hockey at its most basic, especially through the middle of the ice. Pucks were bouncing off our sticks when we were in a good position to turn it up ice, and we'd lose that opportunity and momentum."
The Bears will take a month-long break from ECAC play and travel to face Sacred Heart University (1-8) Wednesday.
"I'd like to see us get our confidence back," Bourbeau said. "I'd like to see us get a little more offense going, get people driving to the net and have our breakouts be a little bit more smooth."
