Brockton, MA – The CMCC women's hockey game played its first ever game Sunday night against Stonehill College, knocking off the Skyhawks 5-4 in overtime for a thrilling first victory. Kylie Boardman scored the game-winning goal from a four-on-four situation with 2:09 left in the extra frame. 
 
The Mustangs dressed only 11 players for their season opener but showed that their hard work in practice had paid off. The top forward line of Kylee Spugnardi, Emma Knowles, and Jenna Buda had good chemistry with all three players putting a puck in the back of the net. 
 
Spugnardi will go down in the record books as the first goal scorer in program history, when she found the back of the net 1:13 into the second period. The former Edward Little/Leavitt/Poland Red Hornets forward cut into the slot from the right wing and put her wrist shot glove side high over the goaltender. 
 
However, the Mustangs were trailing 4-1 late in the second period and in need of a spark. Up stepped forward Emma Knowles to provide it.  
 
The junior, who is an All-American goalkeeper for the women's soccer team, was only a day removed from having scored on the pitch while playing out against VTSU-Randolph. That goal scoring instinct must have transferred to the ice, as Knowles showed a nice deke before finishing tight to cut the deficit to two. 
 
"That was a tight spot to be in, potentially being down by three going into the final period," said head coach Jordy Knoren. "Getting back to 4-2 in the final minute of the second was big and gave us momentum." 
 
Central Maine fought its way back to even things up in the last ten minutes of regulation. Knowles scored her second of the game with 8:12 to play, knocking home a rebound off a Jenna Buda shot. 
 
Then with 4:13 left to go Buda scored herself, crashing the net on a bang-bang play from Taylor Melvin's initial shot. Fiona Landry picked up the secondary assist on the goal that made it 4-4. 
 
Overtime would be needed to try and determine a winner. With both teams having a player in the penalty box, there was lots of open ice for the tired legs to take advantage of while skating four-on-four. Spugnardi started the play ahead to Lauren Hanlon who sent her centering pass towards the net and off the skates of Boardman to take a dramatic victory 5-4. 
 
"I told them I was really proud of their effort," said Knoren. "We're still a little shorthanded, but they played a very smart game. They way they battled back, they showed a lot of heart and deserved to win." 
 
Tatum Hunt made 23 saves in net for the Mustangs to backstop the win, while forward Gloria San Pedro was also picked out by coach Knoren for her efforts winning puck battles along the boards and in the corners. 
 
CMCC next gets on the ice on Saturday, October 19th, when the team hosts the University of Maine for their home opener at Norway Savings Bank Arena. Puck drop is slated for 5:40 pm.