X-Women claim 16th consecutive victory

(ANTIGONISH, N.S.) - The CIS No. 7-ranked StFX X-Women (16-1) skated to their 16th consecutive AUS regular season win with a 5-1 victory over the rival Saint Mary's Huskies (6-10-1) Friday night.

Despite chilly winter temperatures, more than 200 fans turned out at the Keating Centre to watch fifth-year X-Women forward Alex Normore (Bedford, N.S.) put her name in the university's athletic record book. With a goal and an assist, she tied former X-Women forward Brayden Ferguson for the most points in program history, with 196.

The X-Women jumped to a 3-1 lead after the first period.

At 1:50, Lisa Downey (Stratford, Ont.) opened the scoring on an assist from linemate Jenna MacDonald (Osgoode, Ont.). Downey beat Huskies' goaltender Rebecca Weagle (Lunenburg, N.S.) with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.

At 11:43, Normore doubled the X-Women lead with an unassisted rebound goal.

Just more than one minute later, at 12:54, MacDonald caused a Saint Mary's turnover just inside the blue line before skating in and beating Weagle with a high wrist shot.

"We were battling along the boards and I was able to push it through; I just shot it and I was able to score," MacDonald said in the first intermission.

Brianna Soper (Oshawa, Ont.) scored the lone Saint Mary's goal, unassisted on the power play, to make it 3-1.

To start the second period, the Huskies carried much of the play in the first seven minutes or so, but the X-Women came away with the only goal, when fifth-year senior defender Jenna Downey (Stratford, Ont.) beat Justine McIntosh (East St. Paul, Man.), who replaced Weagle, with a screen shot at 6:59. Normore collected her record-tying point with an assist.

At 9:59, off a face-off to the right of McIntosh, sophomore Daley Oddy (Cranbrook, B.C.) picked the top corner with a quick shot from the dot. X-Women captain Taylor Dale (Oromocto, N.B.) garnered the lone assist on the power play marker to make it 5-1.

"Taylor won the face-off clean and got it back to me. I was able to walk off the wall and pick the top corner," Oddy said after the game.

The teams played to a scoreless third period.

Sojung Shin (Seoul, Korea) made 28 saves for the win, while Weagle and McIntosh turned aside seven and 21 shots, respectively, in the loss.

The three stars of the game were Lisa Downey, MacDonald and Normore.

The Huskies will return to action Saturday night (Jan. 17) when the St. Thomas Tommies visit Halifax.

The X-Women will be back on the ice Sunday, Jan. 18 when they host the Tommies. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. at the Keating Centre.

Source: StFX Sports Communications