BOSTON, Mass. -- Junior goaltender Nia Kelly (Santa Rosa, Calif.), making her first start of the season, stopped 25 shots to back stop the visiting University of Southern Maine women's ice hockey team to a 1-1 overtime tie against the University of Massachusetts Boston in ECAC Women's East action Saturday afternoon at the Beacons Ice Arena.   

            The tie gives the Huskies a three-point weekend after they beat the University of New England, 3-2, in overtime Friday night.  The Huskies are now 2-3-1 overall and in the conference.

            The Beacons, who picked up votes in this week's D3hockey.com national poll, earned their second straight 1-1 tie after deadlocking with Saint Anselm College on Friday.  The Beacons are 5-1-2 overall and 3-1-2 in ECAC play.

            Kelly and her UMB counterpart, senior Kailyn Burke (Franklin, Mass.), were the story of the game.  After each surrendered a goal in the opening 11:25, Kelly and Burke slammed the door shut on any further scoring.  Kelly finished the game with 25 saves, including four in the overtime period, while Burke stopped 18 attempts at the other end.

            UMB grabbed a 1-0 lead at 6:10 of the first period as sophomore transfer Lizzie Aveson (West Covina, Calif.) scored her first goal of the season converting a set up from rookie Jane Morrisette (Pembroke, Mass.).  Aveson saw limited playing time last season for NCAA Division III national championship Plattsburgh State before transferring to UMB this year.

            Freshman Tatiana Doucette (Lynn, Mass.) netted the equalizer for the Huskies scoring a power-play goal at 11:25.  The goal was Doucette's first point in a USM jersey.  Sophomores Lynn Kozlowski (Stoneham, Mass.) and Katie Couture (Harrisville, R.I.) picked up the assists.

            Couture had a big weekend as she was involved in all four USM goals, scoring twice, including the game winner in overtime against UNE, and passing out two helpers.  Kozlowski picked up a goal and two assists in the two games.  The duo sit atop the Huskies' score sheet with four points apiece.

            Southern Maine had two more power plays in the second period, and another pair in the third period, but was unable to put the puck past Burke.  UMB went 0 for 5 with the extra player, including a power-play opportunity in the overtime period.

            Southern Maine is back in action on Tuesday evening (7:00 p.m.) hosting in-state rival Colby College for a non-conference game.  UMass Boston will travel to Maine to face Bowdoin College on Tuesday (7:00 p.m.).

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