Potsdam, NY – Graduate student T.T. Cianfarano and sophomore Elizabeth Giguere each scored two goals and both added two assists in a five-goal, second-period outburst, as the Clarkson University Women's Hockey team rallied from a small deficit to defeat Union College 5-1 Friday night at Cheel Arena.

The Golden Knights, ranked third in the country, improved to 8-1-0 and 1-0-0 in ECAC Hockey play, while the Dutchwomen dropped to 2-7-0 and 0-1-0 in league games. Clarkson will face Rensselaer at 3:00 pm on Saturday at Cheel Arena.

Although it was not reflected on the scoreboard, the Golden Knights dominated the first period, simply missing a few passes that could have resulted in goals. Clarkson had six chances on the Union frame in just the first seven minutes, while the Dutchwomen's best chance actually came on a pass back from the Golden Knights that ended up on the pads of freshman goaltender Marie-Pier Coulombe. Union picked it up after the first break, but still struggled to get many chances on the Clarkson goal. However, the Knights were not much better, getting just three more shots on goal in the final 13 minutes of the period. What Clarkson lacked in chances between the pipes, it made up for attempts that went wide and high. Outside of an early shot that hit the post, the best chance of the first came on a Kristy Pidgeon shot that sailed high in the latter third of the stanza. Clarkson finished with 26 shots overall, but just nine were on goal.

For as little action as occurred in the first period, the second was a barrage of goals, especially in the second half of the frame. Clarkson again controlled play in the early going, but it was Union that surprised the Knights with the opening goal of the contest. A three-on-two for the Dutchwomen resulted in a goal as Katelyn Russ barely stayed onside when she collected a pass from the opposite blue line. Russ skated in and wristed a shot over the right shoulder of Coulombe at the 7:00 mark, but play would not resume for close to 10 minutes as officials reviewed the play, with the goal eventually standing up.

The goal either awakened the Clarkson offense or the rest allowed the team to refocus, as the Knights opened the floodgates on offense with a veritable deluge. Emma Keenan wristed a shot off the near post at 10:53, but the rebound was collected by Cianfarano, who found Elizabeth Giguere in the slot. The sophomore then changed angles and slid the puck past Union goaltender Coco Francis at 10:59.

Clarkson really got things going three minutes later as the Knights poured on the offense. Junior Michaela Pejzlova collected the puck just over the blue line and skated in, waiting for Cianfarano to catch up. The puck was dropped off to Cianfarano, who put on a stickhandling display complete with toe drag and went backhand around the defense at 13:25 to put Clarkson up 2-1. Less than 90 seconds later, Union was called for a penalty, and the Knights made short work of the extra-skater opportunity, scoring only 13 seconds into power play, with Pejzlova converting on passes from Giguere and Ella Shelton at 15:03.

Things did not slow down as the Knights tallied again only 21 seconds with the Knights getting the puck out of their own end while the third goal was still being announced. Josiane Pozzebon sent a pass up front to Giguere, who powered through the Union defense for a two-on-one, sending a pass across the slot to Cianfarano for a fourth goal at 15:24. Just 24 seconds later, the Knights found themselves down a skater after a tripping penalty, but the one-player deficit was no impediment for the Green and Gold. Cianfarano picked up possession of the puck along the boards in the Clarkson defensive zone and found Giguere alone near the blue line, and the sophomore did the rest, skating in alone on Coco Francis and finishing the play off with a backhand at 16:16, making it five goals in just 5:17 for the Knights.

The Golden Knights started the third period on the attack again, with Giguere hitting a post almost immediately after the faceoff, but Clarkson was content to sit on its commanding lead. Clarkson still posted 25 shots, though just 10 went on goal, in the third period.

Without Loren Gabel, the nation's leading scorer who is gone for the weekend for the Canadian Women's National Team at the 4 Nation's Cup, Clarkson still peppered the Union defense to the tune of 33 shots on goal with 72 shots total, including four that ticked off the pipes. Union finished with 13 shots on goal and was 0-for-1 in its lone power-play chance. Clarkson went 1-for-4 with the extra-skater.

Coulombe finished with 12 saves in her first collegiate start while Coco Francis made 28 saves for Union.