WILKES-BARRE, PA - A season high in goals and a season low in goals allowed Saturday called for the perfect mix as Susquehanna soundly defeated Wilkes by a 21-2 score. The River Hawks evened their Landmark record to 3-3 to stay in the middle of the Landmark Tournament pack with three games to go.
Susquehanna's scoring spree started early as Nicolette Genovese scored the first goal of the afternoon for the visiting team, with Liv Owen continuing her incredible season assisting the senior. Abby Andrus and Jessica Russo net the next two goals for SU less than a minute apart. Russo earns an assist alongside Emma Kelleher for the second and third point for Susquehanna. Kelleher kept her charity passes going as she threw a ball to Allie Kutler, burying it to the back of the Colonel net. Russo assisted Sloane Coddington for the fifth unanswered goal of the period. Wilkes, Brooklyn Pedana stopped the first quarter scoring rout when she cut into the SU lead. Allie Kutler scored the final ball of the first period, helping take the River Hawks into the second frame leading 6-1.
The second period was all Susquehanna, as they scored seven goals in the period to push their lead to double digits. Genovese and Kelleher both scored on the man-down play, Kelleher earning her second assist of the afternoon. The dynamic duo with Owen and Emma Kellerher pushed the SU lead to eight halfway through the second quarter. Owen earned her third assist of the afternoon when she passed up a scoring opportunity to Sloane Coddington who pushed the ball into the cage. Makaela Larkin added her name to the mix with an unassisted goal, followed by Owen scoring off a pass from Waverly Oake-Libow. Jessica Russo scored the final goal of the frame for SU, setting the score into the second half 13-1.
Alexis Guttilla scored for Wilkes coming out of the break, before the River Hawks went on an 8-0 scoring run to seal the game. Kelleher scored number 14 for SU, followed by two more from Russo. With two seconds remaining in the third period, Owen assisted Allie Kutler to push the lead to 15. Susquehanna led 17-2 entering the final quarter.
The River Hawks added four insurance goals in the fourth quarter, with the first coming from the stick of Makaela Larkin. Owen added the assist to her incredible day. Waverly Oake-Libow assisted Owen, followed by Abby Gearhart's goal from the pass by Abby Andrus. The final goal for SU was a career first by Alison Church, with Larkin earning the assist.
Goalie Aerin O'Brien had four saves with just the two goals against her as she picked up the win playing the first three quarters. Clare Blaschak had three saves in the fourth quarter. In all Susquehanna outshot Wilkes 46-13, including a 38-9 lead in shots on goal. The River Hawks also gathered 20 draw controls to the Colonels' five as Kutler led with ten and Kelleher six. Larkin earned two, while Coddington and McCann each had one. Owen's seven points moved her into fourth all-time with 209 career points, while Kutler stands third all-time with 279 draw controls, three away from tracking down former teammate Kelsey Homberg for second all-time.
The River Hawks have three games remaining in their regular season in their quest for a return to the Landmark Tournament as they return home to take on Goucher College on April 16. Following Goucher, the River Hawks take on the University of Scranton Wednesday, April 23 before wrapping up the regular season at home against Elizabethtown College Saturday, April 26.
