The Big Red hopped on 93 South and travelled to the other Concord – this one in Massachusetts – to take on the Middlesex Zebras. SPS came out quickly and created several chances on the Middlesex net. The squad rapidly learned that they were playing a team who worked hard defensively and a goaltender who was very strong upstairs. As the period went along the Big Red began getting more of their shots down low and had numerous second chances that they came very close to finishing. It was not until the 4:45 mark of the first that they were finally able to get on the board. After consistent pressure on the forecheck, including a puck off the post by
Chelsea Bell, defenseman
Madelyn Humber received the puck just above the circles and fired a wrister through an excellent screen in front of the net for the 1 – 0 lead. Helpers came from the good puck movement of
Kelsey MacPherson and
Erin Flaherty. The game was far from over and the Big Red they had more energy in the tank.
While SPS was not able to increase their lead in the second period, they did dominate the play. High marks go to the energy lift given to the team by the hard forechecking group of
Charlotte Cohen,
Chandler Curtis and
Maealie Glanzer. With only 18 minutes to play the Zebras felt they were one shot away from stealing victory from the Pelicans. SPS played smart for much of the final stanza, but a turnover ion the neutral zone created a breakaway for Middlesex. Third form goaltender
Julia Alessandro stayed calm, made a super initial save and followed that with an excellent second save on the rebound. Alessandro was focused and on her game all night long in earning her first shutout of the season and the first of her SPS career. Well done, Julia.
As the squad returns to campus tonight, the laundry gets done, homework gets done and the Big Red hops back on the ice tomorrow afternoon. Hard work, fast feet, tough defending and finishing chances has been the recipe for success so far. That is what the club will need to tomorrow when they tackle a bunch of feisty Bulls from Holderness.
Go Big Red.
