Hamliton Wins First-Ever Postseason Game
Courtesy Hamilton Sports Information
CLINTON, N.Y. – Jane Bradley and Marissa Halligan recorded a goal and two assists apiece to lead Hamilton College to a 6-1 win against Amherst College in a New England Small College Athletic Conference women’s ice hockey first round tournament game at Sage Rink on Feb. 28.
It was the first postseason victory for the fourth-seeded Continentals (11-12-1 overall) in the program’s eight-year history. Hamilton also set a program record with its sixth straight win. Fifth-seeded Amherst finished its season with a 13-12-0 record.
Emma Griffith and Zoe Baldwin added a goal and an assist apiece for the Continentals. Eden Self and Kristina Carroll scored the other goals. Caitlin Connelly stopped 23 shots, including 13 in the first period. Connelly has surrendered just six goals during the win streak.Rachel Simon notched her 14th goal of the season for the Jeffs. Lindsay Grabowski made 26 saves.
Hamilton jumped out on top 2-0 in the first period on Griffith’s first goal of the season and Carroll’s fourth. Carroll scored on a slap shot from beyond the blue line with 2:57 left in the period. Simon’s goal 50 seconds into the second period briefly made it a one-goal game. Self restored the two-goal cushion with her 15th goal of the season on a one-timer from Baldwin just 1:54 later. The Continentals pushed the lead to 5-1 before the end of the second 20 minutes on Baldwin’s team-leading 21st goal and Halligan’s 10th. Bradley clinched the victory with her ninth goal with 2:33 left in regulation.
Hamilton advances to the conference semifinals to face top seed and fifth-ranked Bowdoin College at Bowdoin in Brunswick, Maine, on March 6 at 1 p.m.
