By Jared Sugerman

The Northeastern women’s hockey team fell to Quinnipiac by a score of 4-3 at the TD Banknorth Sports Center in Hamden, Conn. Following the Friday night loss, the Huskies are 0-2-1 during the 2007-08 regular season.

However, head coach Laura Schuler’s team has displayed no lack of mettle in its first three games this year.

“We’re a team that’s not going to give up, and we’re going to play through right to the very end, and we can come back,” Schuler said.

The Huskies’ perseverance was put to the test versus the Bobcats, as NU again allowed its opponent to get on the board first. After Antoinette Maldonado put Quinnipiac up 1-0 at 16:16 of the first period, Elyse Cole doubled the Huskies’ deficit with 58 second remaining in the first.

Sophomore forward Chelsey Jones did her part to keep Northeastern in the game during the second, scoring her first two goals of the season during the middle frame. However, the Huskies’ special teams struggled, and the Bobcats were able to record a power play goal, as well as a short-handed tally, giving them a 4-2 lead after two periods of play.

Northeastern got back within one goal at the 17:03 mark of the third when senior forward Nikki Petrich cashed in on a power play opportunity, with an assist coming from junior forward Cassie Sperry. The goal was the 31st of Petrich’s career, and it came during her 100th NCAA game.

The Huskies were unable to complete the comeback though, despite peppering Quinnipiac goalie Jamie Miller with 13 shots during the final frame.

Miller stopped 30 of the Huskies’ 33 attempts for the game, and freshman goalie Leah Sulyma stopped 17 Bobcats’ shots, including all five that came her way during the third period.

Although Sulyma got her second start of the year after her 26 save performance against North Dakota Oct. 6, she has yet to secure the starting job.

“We used Leah in that situation because we hoped to give her a little bit more confidence,” Schuler said. “But, we still really don’t know who’s going to be the starter between her and Belliveau. I think it’s a good thing that it is somewhat of a toss-up right now. They’re definitely competing with one another.”

The auditions for the lead role between the pipes will continue this weekend, when Northeastern plays its first regular season games at Matthews Arena. Both games are against Niagara and are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Last year, the teams split a two game series in Lewiston.