ANGOLA, Ind. -- The Trine University women's hockey team scored two straight goals in the second period to pull back within one of visiting Aurora University, but the final two goals belonged to the opposition and the team fell 5-2.
The Spartans struck swiftly in the contest, coming up with a pair of goals in the first three minutes. The goals forced a goalie change by the Thunder, who entered Ryleigh Furlong (Lakeville, Minn.) in relief. The freshman stopped the bleeding in the period, coming up with 12 saves to keep the score 2-0 at the first break.
She continued to put in strong work in the crease, with Aurora finally cracking the net again at the nine-minute mark of the second building the lead to 3-0.
Nearly two minutes later, the two teams squared off for a faceoff in Trine's offensive zone. Senior Brandi Wilson (Fenton, Mich.) won the puck backwards to classmate Kirsten Vandenheuvel (Denfield, Ontario) who fired a shot on net from the top of the close faceoff circle. That shot would find its way passed the goalie and into the net cutting the lead to 3-1.
In the fourteenth minute the Thunder cut into the lead again. With the Spartans up a man, Wilson wrestled the puck away from the opposition in the defensive zone. Making her way toward the blueline she passed the puck to the center of the ice where freshman Peyton Hans (Johnson Creek, Wis.) received it. Moving just outside the zone and drawing the trailing defenders toward her, she passed it back to Wilson who was left alone behind the entire Aurora team. She cashed in on the breakaway to make the score 3-2 with the team's first shorthanded goal of the season.
Unfortunately, the one goal deficit would be the best for the remainder of the team for Trine, with the Spartans tallying two more goals in the remainder of the game to take the contest 5-2.
Furlong finished with the contest with 37 saves after entering the game and played an overall strong contest, despite earning the loss.
Trine falls to 4-11-1 overall and 1-5-1 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) play. They will try to bounce back when they faceoff with Aurora again tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 29. Opening puck drop is scheduled for 2 p.m.