Vikings Lose 5-1 to #4 Norwich

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Freshmen Maddie Moell (Clarence Center) and Mady Johnsen (St. Charles, Mo.) each tallied their first collegiate goals to help lead the Norwich University women's ice hockey team to a 5-1 victory over Salem State on Friday afternoon in Kreitzberg Arena.

In the first-ever meeting between the two schools in women's ice hockey, Norwich pulled away late with a three-goal third period to stay perfect on the season at 6-0-0 in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) action.

No. 4/4 nationally-ranked Norwich (6-2-0, 6-0-0 NEHC) opened the scoring at the 10:49 mark of the first period with Moell notching her first collegiate goal on a rebound off assists from Adrieana Rossini (Malden, Mass.) and Bryn Labbe (Calgary, Alberta). Moell knocked the puck home from the doorstep of the right side of the cage after Rossini and Labbe got sticks on it to set up the play.

Just 20 seconds later the trio hooked up again, this time Labbe found the back of the net for her third goal of the season off assists from Rossini and Moell. 

Salem State (2-7-0, 2-4-0 NEHC) cut into the deficit at the 18:09 mark of the second period with Jacqueline Sindoris scoring on a breakaway after taking a chip pass off the boards from Jillian Danton in the neutral zone. Sindoris deked out sophomore goalie Emily Lambert (Riverview, Mich.) and slipped the puck behind her on the backhand for the goal.

Norwich finally got some breathing room at the 15:03 mark of the third period with Sophie McGovern (Hermantown, Minn.) notching her third goal of the year off assists from Alyssa Hulst (Scarborough, Maine) and Morgan Tefft (Redwood City, Calif.). McGovern scored on the rebound after Salem State goalie Isabelle Woodward made a save on the initial shot by Hulst. 

Norwich added two more insurance goals late in the third period with Kirsten Watts (Chugiak, Alaska) scoring from the point on a deflection off a Salem State body for her third goal of the season off assists from Moell and Brynn Wopperer (Amherst, N.Y.).

Johnsen capped the scoring by stuffing in her first collegiate goal on a rebound after Jessica Piracini (Arlington, Mass.) was denied twice from the slot. KC Herne notched the second assist to complete the scoring.

Lambert made eight saves in goal for the Cadets to improve to 3-1-0 on the year. Woodward made 37 saves for Salem State in the loss to fall to 1-3-0.

 (Courtesy Norwich Sports Information)