BEVERLY, Mass. – The first-seeded Endicott women's ice hockey team won the inaugural Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship against fourth-seeded University of New England (UNE), 2-1, on Saturday evening at Raymond J. Bourque Arena.
Prior to today's first-ever CCC Championship game, the Gulls won back-to-back Colonial Hockey Conference (CHC) titles (2018-19, 2019-20) before the league's rebrand to the CCC in 2020-21.
Kellie Popkin (Walpole, Mass.) was credited with the game-winning goal when she roofed a breakaway attempt high glove side into the top right corner of the goal at the 18:25 mark of the second period.
Meanwhile, Jacy Kuhlman (Severna Park, Md.) opened up the scoring for the No. 8 nationally ranked Gulls via a second chance point-blank effort earlier in the stanza (13:30).
In goal, Michaela O'Brien (Pembroke, Mass.) made 21 stops to improve to 10-3-1 on the season (18-3-1 career).
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Endicott is 10-2-0 all-time against UNE (3-1-0 in 2021-22).
- The Gulls improved to 10-1-1 at home this season.
- Popkin netted her second career game-winner.
- Endicott is 2-0-0 all-time versus UNE in conference championship games (2019-20, W, 4-1).
WHAT'S NEXT
No. 8 Endicott (19-4-1) has earned the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. The Gulls will learn their postseason fate via the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, March 6 at 8:30 PM on NCAA.com.
UNE's season comes to a close at 11-13-2 overall.
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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)
