By Jared Sugerman

The Northeastern women’s hockey team dropped its first two home games of the regular season this weekend, falling to the Niagara University Purple Eagles 6-4 Saturday and 5-2 Sunday.

Niagara junior Ashley Riggs played a significant role in both of her team’s victories. After putting in an empty-net goal to seal the Eagles’ win Saturday, Riggs scored all five Niagara goals Sunday, including another empty-netter.

Northeastern freshman goaltender Leah Sulyma made 16 saves in Sunday’s game, but was beaten by four of the 10 shots that Riggs fired her way. She said it is Riggs’ ability to move with the puck that makes her so difficult to stop.

“You don’t know what she’s doing, if she’s going to shoot or fake or deke, so it’s really tough,” Sulyma said.

Freshman forward Kristi Kehoe stood out this weekend for Northeastern, recording a goal and an assist in both contests. After the Huskies’ first five games, Kehoe is the team’s leading scorer with seven total points, including three goals and four assists.

Her goal Sunday, which came on assists from junior forward Cassie Sperry and senior forward Nikki Petrich, came at 7:46 of the opening period. It gave Northeastern its first 1-0 lead of the season.

“I know the coaches had high expectations, so I just worked my butt off during the summer to live up to those expectations, and I have high expectations for myself, too,” Kehoe said.

Kehoe’s season thus far is reminiscent of the year sophomore forward Chelsey Jones had during the 2006-07 campaign.

A unanimous Hockey East-All Rookie selection as a freshman, Jones is stuck at four points this season after a scoreless weekend. During the first period Sunday, she hit the crossbar on a one-timer, and later in the frame could not convert on a breakaway opportunity against Niagara goaltender Jill Zelonis.

“Chelsey’s been so close,” Petrich said. “It’s going to come though. She was a huge goal scorer for us last year, and she will be again this year. It’s just the first couple of games still.”

The Huskies record slid to 0-4-1 with the losses, despite the fact that they were able to out shoot the Eagles 33-21 Saturday and 29-22 Sunday.

On Saturday, Northeastern’s senior goaltender Sarah Belliveau made 15 saves and Nikki Rudy deflected 29 shots for Niagara. Zelonis stopped 27 shots for the Eagles Sunday.

“When I look at the whole game, I know that we had more scoring chances than they had,” said head coach Laura Schuler. “I see some mistakes here and there that we’ll continue to correct, but as a whole, I look at them and they’re a good hockey team.”

Northeastern’s quest for its first win of the season will continue Saturday against UConn at 2 p.m. The battle of the Huskies will take place at Matthews Arena as part of Homecoming Weekend festivities.