Saturday afternoon at Matthews, the Northeastern Huskies defeated the
Providence College Friars 4-3.  The first period was brilliant hockey, easily
the best I have seen in a long time.  NU had chances to blow this match open,
but PC kept coming back.
 
The game started with the Friars skating fast and looking pretty good.
However, Northeastern was skating and passing with tremendous flair and making
a myriad of fantastic scoring chances.  Hilary Witt (Erine Metcalf) opened the
scoring for NU when she tipped a point shot over the pads of the PC goalie.
Keri-Anne Allan (Emily Pemrick, Hilary Witt) then scored an ooh-la-la goal
to make it 2-0 Huskies.  Witt carried the puck into the zone and released
Pemrick.  Then co-captain Pemrick touched a perfect pass over to Allan at the
back door.  Wow!  Jessica Tabb (Corinne Rosen) pulled one back for Providence
when she went down the left wing, cut across the center of the ice and drilled
her shot.  The Huskies went ahead 3-1 when Betsy Dyke (Metcalf) broke in and
launched her try high to the far post.
 
The second period was much slower and less intense.  Neither team was on song.
Tabb cut the NU lead to one goal when she pulled off a lovely deke on a
penalty shot.  In the final minutes of the period, Pemrick (Lisa Giovanelli,
Witt) gave Northeastern a two goal cushion when the team worked the puck
around the PC zone before Pemrick gunned her shot.
 
The final interval saw the Huskies going close several times, but they were
not able to finish.  PC made it interesting when Tabb (Myia Yates, Rosen)
completed her hat trick with a rebound during a 5 on 3 power play.  The Friars
tried to tie it up, but the NU defense toughed it out.
 
Providence plays like a group of individuals.  At the moment, the Friars are
unable to raise their level of play.  Tabb was very impressive.  Her
individual skills brought PC back into the match.  Tabb's ability to deke and
run is marvelous to watch.  First-year Holley Tyng played her wing extremely
well and used her good skating to advantage.  On defense, Alain Frankiewicz
read the incoming forwards well and kept things tight at the back.  Overall,
with the clone system failing, I would suggest PC goes to accentuating the
obviously individual talents, and building a team from there.
 
Northeastern played splendid hockey in the first.  It is so much fun to see a
team move that well en masse and string together such lovely passes.  The
woman of the match was the line of Witt, Pemrick and Giovanelli.  First-year
Giovanelli is a fine two-way player, and perhaps the best marker on the squad.
Pemrick was her gunning best and whether shooting or passing made things
happen.  Witt was outstanding.  She is the attacking leader for the Huskies
and is playing with tons of confidence.  Witt made so many plays happen by
holding onto the puck and waiting to make the telling pass.  First-years Beth
Claggett and Colleen Coen played exceedingly well.  Claggett back-checks with
determination and has choice stickhandling skills.  Coen is starting to move
well off the puck and is showing up at the critical moment.  Kim Beneduce was
paired with Jaime Totten today on the blue line, and provided some very good
cover.  Totten's ability to spin and go let's her push the team forward while
holding things together at the back.  Allan was the other defender that showed
superb anticipation.  She flew forward to finish off the best goal of the
afternoon.  Overall, the Huskies won't be too pleased with their performance,
but their team play is looking sublime.
 
 
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 good shooting
 hungerf
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