Facing a 3-2 third-period deficit on Saturday afternoon, the Franklin Pierce University women’s ice hockey team struck for a 3-3 tie with just 2:21 to play, only to see Sacred Heart find the game-winning goal 36 seconds later, with 1:45 remaining. It was senior forward Megan Finlay who had the game-winning goal late in the third period, as the Pioneers pulled out a 4-3 win in non-conference play at Sports Center of Connecticut.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 7-3-1, while Sacred Heart improves to 4-6-1.

The two teams traded goals after the midpoint of the first period. Junior defenseman Carly Radovich opened the scoring at the 12:09 mark, with her third goal of the season, an unassisted marker. Franklin Pierce answered at 16:50, as senior forward Alysha Raimo put home her fourth of the campaign, off an assist from junior forward Alex Brolsma .

Sacred Heart would then take a one-goal lead on two occasions in the second period. First, junior forward Taylor Moreland notched her first of two goals in the stanza at the 3:10 mark. Sophomore forward Katie Stueve had the lone assist on Moreland’s ninth goal of the year. Again Franklin Pierce had the answer, this time at the 5:44 mark, as Brolsma struck for a goal of her own. Senior defenseman Katie Flynn provided the assist on Brolsma’s ninth goal of the season.

Sacred Heart would take a 3-2 lead into the intermission, as Moreland struck again with 3:40 to play in the middle frame. Her 10th of the campaign came courtesy of an assist from senior defenseman Amie Varano at the 16:20 mark.

Much of the third period would go scoreless, before the Ravens knotted the game at 3-3 with a late power-play marker, at the 17:39 mark. Senior forward Michelle Holmes set up the second goal of the season for junior forward Hailee Craig with just 2:21 remaining.

The tie was short-lived, however, as the Pioneers needed just 36 seconds to find the answer, break the tie and secure the game-winning goal. It was Finlay who did the honors by potting her third of the season at the 18:15 mark, off of assists from senior forward Teagan Ketchum and junior forward Brittany Smith.

Junior goaltender Madison Murray suffered the loss (1-1-0) in net for Franklin Pierce.

The Ravens return to the ice on Saturday, when they return home to host Salem State at 2 p.m. at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena.