Nelson Scores Two; Padgett Stops 36 Shots

            GORHAM, Maine -- Sophomore forward Julianne Nelson (Armstrong, B.C.) scored a pair of goals and senior goalie Whitney Padgett (Eden Prairie, Minn.) turned aside 36 shots as the University of Southern Maine women's ice hockey team held off the University of Massachusetts Boston 4-2 in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) action Friday at the USM Ice Arena.

            The win improves the Huskies record to 2-3-0 overall and 2-1-0 in league action.  The Beacons dropped their third straight decision to slide to 1-3-1 overall and 0-3-0 in NEHC games.

            Nelson, a transfer from Anna Maria College, scored in the first period with a shot from the left-wing circle to give USM a 2-0 lead at the time.  She gave the Huskies an important insurance marker in the third period after the Beacons had cut the deficit to 3-2.

            Southern Maine jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame as junior Shannon Colbert(Manomet, Mass.) and Nelson scored in the opening 10 minutes.  Colbert's goal was a laser from the top of the right-wing circle over the shoulder of UMB starting goalie Olivia Petito (St. Augustine, Fla.) at 4:23. Nelson's goal came at 9:54 on a nearly identical shot from the other side.

            Senior Katie Nolan (Dorchester, Mass.) increased the Huskies' lead to 3-0 when she potted a tough-angle shot at 6:44 of the second period.

            The Beacons got on the board at 14:06 of the second when rookie Mia Sacco (Plymouth, Mass.) scored from in close off an assist from junior Rae Lambert (Medway, Mass.).

            Padgett preserved the Huskies' two-lead through the remainder of the second period as the Beacons poured in 18 shots during the period.

            Senior Erica Lunn (Kingston, Mass.) pulled the visitors within one at 5:02 of the third period when she netted a power-play marker after an assist from junior Jane Ann Drill (Madison, Wis.).

            Nelson's second goal of the game at the 10:00 mark gave the Huskies a much needed insurance marker.

            Padgett stopped 13 shots in the third period to finish with 36 saves.  Petito had six saves in the first period before being replaced by senior Caty Flagg (Methuen, Mass.) at the start of the second period.  Flagg made 13 saves before being lifted for the extra attacker with 2:22 to play.

            UMass Boston had a 38-23 advantage in shots on goal, and converted on 1 of 5 power plays.  Southern Maine went 0 for 3 with the man advantage.

            The Huskies are back in action Saturday afternoon (1 p.m.) when they host Castleton University.  The Beacons return home to face Suffolk University on Saturday (4 p.m.).

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