Sports
Women’s ice hockey sweeps Colby and improves to 3-2 overall
By Mary Lundin ’19
December 8, 2016
Tags sports
After an upsetting loss against Morrisville State, the Continentals returned ready to dominate in their third NESCAC game of the season and first game out of a two-day run against Colby. On Dec. 2, the Hamilton Continentals blanked the Colby Mules 3-0 at Colby’s Alfond Rink in Waterville, Maine. With absolute determination, superb skill, and excellent teamwork, the Continentals have managed to outscore their opponents 8-4 throughout four games this season.
Hamilton’s Megan Ahern ’17 bolstered the Continentals with her two goals and one assist in the first period. Currently, she leads the team with three goals and six points. Additionally, Hamilton’s Sam Walther ’18 stopped all 16 shots she faced for her first shutout this season and ninth of her Hamilton career. Sarah Fisher ’20 contributed greatly to the Continentals’ success with her first collegiate goal at 5:34 into the first period. Hamilton received the puck from behind goal as Ahern passed to Fisher who shot a one-timer close to the left goal post. Hamilton’s Katie Parkman ’17 was commended for her fourth assist on this goal. Parkman leads the team with most assists so far this season. Ahern scored a power-play goal with only two seconds remaining on a Mules penalty at 12:09 in the first period. Ahern, positioned directly in front of the net, slammed a pass from Emily Williams ’19. Taegan Blackwell ’19 also registered an assist on this goal. With 3:26 remaining in the first period, Ahern recorded another goal giving Hamilton a 3-0 lead.
Maddie Carras ’17 offered her thoughts on both games. For Friday’s game she commented, “This weekend started with a dream...a dream to sweep the respectable Colby College Mules into oblivion. We expected that it would be a hard-fought battle, and we weren’t disappointed. While we dominated the goal-scoring this weekend, Colby proved a tough opponent in our own zone, often blocking our break-out attempts.” As for the second game, Carras added, “Giuttari, on the other hand, got us going Saturday afternoon at the end of a rough first period when she glided from end to end past every Mule on the ice, and ultimately deked their goalie silly to score the most beautiful first-career goal that history has ever seen. Ahern also had a standout weekend, just shy of a hat trick with two goals and one assist Friday night. And as always, we had to thank our goalie, Sam Walther, for a couple of saves that defied all logic and a couple of Newton’s laws to keep us out of the red.”
The Continentals returned the following day with enough zeal and confidence to lead them to another win against the Colby Mules (0-5-1). This shutout signifies the first time the Continentals have prevented their opponent from scoring a single point over a weekend series. Walther led the Continentals with her 10th career shutout and made 26 saves to lengthen her school record for career shutouts. With her excellent performance, Walther now leads Division III in save percentage (0.972) and is second in goals-against average 0.64. Michaela Giuttari ’20 scored her first collegiate goal with 4.4 seconds left in the first period. She whirled around from the back of Hamilton’s net, skated between two Colby players and proceeded to get past Colby’s defense to quickly force the puck in the cage. Additionally, Katie Parkman ’17 proved strong in the second period as she scored her second goal of the season at 8:38. Parkman grabbed the puck from a Colby defender behind their net, and immediately spun to the front of the net and took the shot on her knees.
Most impressive, the Continentals killed off all of five Colby power plays and are one of only two teams to not have given up a power play so far this winter. Near the end of the third period, too many Colby players were forward on the power play, giving Hamilton the perfect opportunity to net a goal. Andrea Rockey ’19 appeared on the right side and ended up in a two-on-one with Caroline Knop ’18 who successfully received the pass and scored a backhand high shot against Colby goalie Hanna Insuik.