HENNIKER, N.H. -- Senior forward Kaleigh Costello (Hudson, N.H.) scored the lone goal of the afternoon as the New England College women's ice hockey team posted a 1-0 victory over the Huskies of the University of Southern Maine Saturday afternoon at the Lee Clement Ice Arena.

            With the victory, the Pilgrims improved to 9-12-2 overall and to 7-7-2 within the ECAC Women's East.  The loss dropped the Huskies to 6-13-4 overall and to 6-8-2 within conference play.

            Costello scored her seventh goal of the season on the power play at 19:14 of the first period, placing the Pilgrims ahead by a 1-0 margin late in the opening stanza.  Junior defenseman Alyssa Hoot (Waterville, Ohio), at the top of the slot, fired a blast wide of Huskies freshman goaltender Liz Bergstrom.  On the rebound, Costello tapped the puck into the goal near the right post for the score.  Sophomore defenseman Jamie Tabb (Holland, Mass.) collected an assist on the play.

            Pilgrims netminder Kristen Conners (Weymouth, Mass.) posted the shutout, turning aside all 28 shots that she faced for her fourth victory of the season.  Bergstrom drew her eighth loss of the season, halting 23-of-24 shots on goal.

            New England College was 1-for-2 on the power play.  Southern Maine was 0-for-5 with the extra skater.

            Southern Maine closes the regular season next weekend traveling to Manhattanville College on Friday (7:00 p.m.) and Nichols College on Saturday (4:00 p.m.).  With their home schedule wrapped, the Pilgrims play their final two contests on the road, starting with a contest against the Beacons of the University of Massachusetts at Boston on Friday (4:00 p.m.).

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