EAST MEADOW, N.Y. - The Sacred Heart women's hockey team is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. Four different Pioneers scored and
Carly Greene made 31 saves in goal as SHU beat LIU 4-2 in the NEWHA Tournament championship game at the Northwell Health Ice Arena.
Greene, who made 145 saves in the four tournament victories, was named the most valuable player. Chaput,
Grayson Limke and
Savannah Popick joined Greene on the all-tournament team.
RECORDS
Sacred Heart: 21-14-3
LIU: 22-11-4
SHU SCORING
Paige McNeil (1 goal)
Isabella Chaput (1 goal)
Grayson Limke (1 goal)
Ella Holm (1 goal)
Kailey Smith (1 assist)
Savannah Popick (1 assist)
Bria Holm (1 assist)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
LIU, the tournament's top seed, had not allowed a goal in its first three victories. So when the Sharks struck first at 5:52 of the second period, it may have been a cause for concern for the many SHU fans in attendance. Their anxiousness didn't last long. Just 16 seconds later
Paige McNeil scored off a scramble in front of the net.
That was the first of three goals in the second for Sacred Heart. Limke gave the Pioneers a lead they would not relinquish when she one-timed a
Kailey Smith pass past LIU goalie Abbie Thompson at 9:46. Then, late in the period, Chaput struck again and again off a scramble in front.
The Sharks got back within one at 13:58 of the third period, but again SHU had a quick answer.
Ella Holm scored with the help of a screen in front of Thompson nearly two minutes later. From there, Greene made several key saves down the stretch to seal the championship victory.
NOTES
• The Pioneers scored seven power play goals in their four NEWHA playoff games. Entering the tournament, they had gone seven games without a power play goal.
• En route to the championship, Sacred Heart outscored its opponents 14-4.
• Ten different Pioneers scored in the four playoff games.
• Sacred Heart won the NEWHA Tournament for the second time in school history. The Pioneers won the very first tournament back in 2018 before the league had an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Head Coach
Thomas O'Malley, who is in his 22nd season at the helm of the program, said he heard from a number of members of that team, and they were all watching and wearing their championship rings.
QUOTING COACH O'MALLEY
"This means everything to the program. We won the first NEWHA Championship back in 2018 and that was special. This is even better because we are able to march on to the NCAA Tournament. I'm really, really happy for the team, the coaches, the staff. I wouldn't have wanted to do it with anybody else."
[On the key to the victory]
"We knew we would have to play a strong, disciplined game. The red line was going to be a huge factor all night, which it was. We dug deep. It was a hard-fought win, and I couldn't be happier for the team."
[On scoring quickly after LIU's two goals
"We answered back. They scored, we scored. We were able to come right back at them."
WHAT'S NEXT
The Pioneers will learn where they are headed for the NCAA Tournament when the pairings are announced on Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m. EDT. The selection show can be seen on ESPNU and ESPN+
