Less than two minutes into the first start of Abbey Miller’s career as a Syracuse goalkeeper, she allowed a shot to hit the back of the cage.

Providence center Brooke Boquist won a faceoff in the attacking zone that went straight to left wing Cassidy Carels, who fired a quick wrist shot over Miller’s shoulder.

“I just didn’t get my glove there in time,” she said.

Because of an injury to starting goalie Jenn Gilligan, Miller found out that she would be starting just minutes before the puck dropped. Despite the short notice, she allowed just three goals and made 22 saves. Head coach Paul Flanagan was happy with her play as SU (1-1-3) tied Providence (0-4-1) 3-3 on Saturday at Tennity Ice Pavilion. Miller allowed two goals off faceoffs and the third off a tip during a Providence power play.

During a very active second period in which the Orange put 13 shots on goal, Miller held her own for most of the 20 minutes.

In the middle of the Friars’ power play during the second period, Miller moved across the crease and stuck her left leg out to stop a shot. Right after the Providence advantage ended, the freshman goalie dropped to the ice, doing a split to stop a Carels shot. The puck rebounded right back to Carels, who shot to Miller’s left. Coming off the ice, Miller dove to make the glove save.

“It’s always nervewracking as a freshman going into your first start in a collegiate game but she did really well, held her ground, made saves when she needed to,” forward Allie LaCombe said.

Eight minutes later, LaCombe gave Syracuse the lead with a backhand goal. Less than a minute later, the two teams lined up for a faceoff in the Syracuse zone.

Friars center Haley Frade won the draw, sending the puck to defender Lexi Romanchuk, who was standing a few feet in front of the blue line. With no one between her and the goal, Romanchuk fired a slapshot into the top right corner of the net.

“I should’ve shifted into it and I just kind of tried to deflect it out, but I deflected it into the net,” Miller said.

Flanagan was disappointed none of his skaters got into the shooting lane on the goal but said that Miller had to do a better job getting into position to block that shot.

“You don’t want to get beat on a shot from the blue line,” he said.

With just over a minute remaining, a Friar shot from Allison Micheletti came flying in from the left circle, but Miller was able to tip the puck off line with her glove, preserving the tie.

“I thought she stepped up big time, she was awesome,” forward Melissa Piacentini said.

Friday, Gilligan was cleared to play and dressed and warmed up before the game, but Flanagan said she wasn’t confident enough to play. He held her out as a precautionary measure after missing three days of practice.

Flanagan said he thought the late notice was good, as Miller didn’t have time to get nervous.

“I was a little disappointed in the first two goals, I think I could’ve obviously stopped those,” Miller said. “I think I had some pretty big saves, so it was balanced out.”

Published on October 18, 2014 at 8:43 pm