The St. Lawrence University women's hockey team battled top-ranked Cornell University down to the last second, but the Saints' third-period comeback attempt fell short as the Big Red skated to a 3-2 victory to win the ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at Lynah Rink in Ithaca.

Cornell took a 3-1 lead with two goals in a span of three minutes and 20 seconds halfway through the third period, but St. Lawrence's Kayla Vespa cut the lead to one with an extra attacker goal with less than two minutes to play and the Saints had several opportunities to tie the game in the final minute before time expired.

With the loss, the Saints finish the season 13-16-7. Cornell improves to 27-1-3 and will host the ECAC Hockey semifinal and championship games next weekend.

"A battle to the end again down here in Ithaca," said St. Lawrence head coach Chris Wells '92. "We played hard and had two great chances to tie it at the end of the game that would have made things really interesting. Our team played hard to the end and that was rewarding to see."

The Big Red dominated the first period, but St. Lawrence goaltender Lucy Morgan made 11 saves, including a glove save on Cornell defenseman Jaime Bourbonnais, moving right-to-left across the crease to keep the game scoreless after one.

Shailynn Snow had the Saints' first good scoring chance seven minutes into the second period, taking a pass and spinning around to get a shot attempt, but the puck hit the side of the net.

The Big Red took a 1-0 lead halfway through the second period on a power play goal by Grace Graham. Gillis Frechette shot the puck from the high slot, and Morgan made a pad save, but Graham was right on the doorstep and backhanded the rebound into the open net.

The Saints tied the game with three minutes left in the second, as Dakota Golde fed Julia Gosling with a pass at the Big Red blue line and Gosling skated in and fired a wrist shot into the left side of the net. Kristen Guerriero also assisted on the play with a pass from deep inside the Saints' defense end.

Cornell took the lead again seven and a half minutes into the third period. After sustained pressure in the St. Lawrence zone, Kristin O'Neill found open ice in the left faceoff circle and fired a high shot from just inside the dot off the iron in the back of the net.

The Big Red took a 3-1 lead on the Saints' next power play, as Graham grabbed a loose puck at the top of the Cornell zone raced down the ice on a breakaway, beating Morgan with a shot high to the glove side for a shorthanded tally and her second goal of the game.

Vespa cut the lead to one with less than two minutes to play with an extra attacker goal. The senior alternate captain curled around from behind the Cornell net and put a shot on goal that Browning saved, then picked up the rebound and lifted it over Browning's shoulder. Snow and Gosling earned assists on the play.

The Saints had a few chances to tie the score in the final minute, with Snow sending a backhand on net after an offensive zone faceoff win, and Anna Segedi also putting a shot on goal, but Browning saved both to preserve the lead..

St. Lawrence's two goals against the Big Red marked just the sixth time this season Cornell has surrendered multiple goals in a contest. Three of those games came against St. Lawrence.

Morgan made 27 saves for the Saints, while Browning stopped 11 shots for the Big Red.

The loss marked the end of eight St. Lawrence seniors collegiate careers: Vespa, Golde, Kalie Grant, Maggie McLaughlin, Amanda Butterfield, Jaimee Cooke, Jacquie Diffley and Steph Keryluk, 

"This group of seniors did a great job this year with what was in front of them and can leave with some great memories," said Wells. "Winning the first game back at Appleton versus Clarkson is one that will last forever. It is always sad to see the season end, but we know we left it all on the ice."