GENEVA, N.Y. — For the first time in program histroy, the Albertus Magnus College women's ice hockey team competed in league action against New England Hockey Conference foe William Smith College on Saturday as the Falcons dropped a tough, 2-0, road game.

Christmas Johnson (Winnipeg, Manitoba) notched her season-high 44 saves and the fifth most saves in her career in the net.

THE BASICS

FINAL: William Smith 2 | Albertus Magnus 0

RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (1-1-1, 0-1-0 NEHC) | William Smith (1-2-0, 1-0-0 NEHC)

BOX

HOW IT HAPPENED

• William Smith struck early with a tally less than a minute and a half into the opening period as Bella Hacker scored off the stick of Mackenzie O'Neil. Prior to the hosts score, Isabella Contreras (Surprise, Ariz.) won the opening faceoff for Albertus as Gabriella Dellacroce (Woodbridge, Conn.) attempted the first shot on goal for either team, but Erin Murray was there to stop it in its tracks.
• Three minutes after the goal, the home team tried to put another puck in the net, but Delaney Schlechtweg (New York, N.Y. ) denied the shot, which allowed it to remain in Albertus' control, followed by a blocked shot by Maddy Gootjes (Quispamsis, New Brunswick).
• Albertus had a narrow opportunity to get on the boars as Contreras had a close shot hit off the post after the sophomore won the faceoff.
• At 6:44 in the first intermission, William Smith netted its second goal of the night against the short-handed Falcons.
• The final two periods saw no scoring from either team, but Albertus attempted nine shots with three shots each by Kayla Clark (Avon, Conn.) and Molly Martin (Buffalo, N.Y.).

BETWEEN THE PIPES

Albertus

Christmas Johnson (L, 1-1-1) 46 Shots on Goal | 2 Goals Allowed | 44 Saves

William Smith

Erin Murray (W, 1-2-0) 14 Shots On Goal | 0 Goals Allowed | 14 Saves

BY THE NUMBERS

Penalties/Minutes: Albertus: 7/14 | William Smith 5/10

Power Play Goals/Opportunities: Albertus 0/2 | William Smith 1/5

Faceoffs Won: Albertus 22/56 | William 34/56

NOTEWORTHY

• This is the first conference contest the Falcons have played in program history.

UP NEXT

Albertus remains at William Smith for a 4 p.m. puck drop in game two of the two-day road series.