Box Score
Sperry Postgame Comments
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Seniors Kaleigh Fratkin and Louise Warren each had two points while classmate Kerrin Sperry made 37 saves to help lead the Boston University women's ice hockey team to a 3-2 victory over Providence on Sunday afternoon at Schneider Arena.
BU (21-10-1, 14-5-0 WHEA) secured the second seed in the Hockey East tournament with the victory. Providence dropped to 11-21-0 overall and 6-13-0 in league play.
Warren assisted on sophomore Sarah Lefort's NCAA-best 29th goal of the season before potting the game-winner. Fratkin assisted on both of those tallies while sophomore Jordan Juron provided the other Terrier goal.
Sperry was spectacular for the Terriers and earned her second straight 35-plus save performance. She was the game's first star and made 31 saves through the first two periods. The senior goaltender has stopped 30 or more shots in three of her last four games.
Lefort opened the scoring with a power-play goal 9:50 into the proceedings. Warren was first to the puck in the right corner and she sent it up the wall to Fratkin, who fired a shot towards goal. Lefort was stationed in front of Friar netminder Nina Riley (21 saves) and deftly directed the puck into the back of the net.
Providence almost answered a minute later, but Sperry stoned Brittney Thunstrom's tip chance. The Friars did tie the game, 1-1, with a power-play goal at the 6:49 mark of the second stanza when Cassidy Carels redirected a shot past Sperry.
Juron responded nearly two minutes later with her fifth strike of the season. Junior Sarah Bayersdorfer got the puck to senior Taylor Holze on the right wing, who began a 3-on-2 rush with Bayersdorfer and Juron. Bayersdorfer streaked directly for goal and Juron trailed the play perfectly, allowing Holze to find her between the circles before beating Riley five-hole.
The Terriers extended their lead to 3-1 with another power-play goal at the 13:21 juncture of the middle period. After BU called its timeout prior to the power play, Warren won the initial faceoff and Lefort pushed the puck back to Fratkin at the top of the zone. Her shot deflected off of freshman Maddie Elia's stick and then Warren's leg before moving past Riley.
The Friars found the back of the net with 11:55 remaining in regulation when Allison Micheletti snuck a puck by Sperry. That was the final blemish of the evening on Sperry's record, though Providence came close to drawing level with the Terriers late in the game. Stephanie Demars twice tried from point-blank range to light the lamp, but Sperry was equal to the task both times.
The Friars pulled Riley in the waning moments in favor of an extra attacker, but were unable to score an equalizer. Lefort lifted a Providence attacker's stick as she entered the BU zone in the final 10 seconds to help stave off a late bid and preserve the two points.
BU will close out the regular season next weekend with a home-and-home series against Boston College. The Eagles claimed the Hockey East regular-season trophy on Sunday with a victory at Maine. The rivals will face off on Saturday (2 p.m.) at BC before Senior Day at Walter Brown Arena on Sunday at 3 p.m.
