Southern N.H. Slides Past Fitchburg State, 5-4

Hutton nets team-leading tenth goal of the season in Falcons loss

HOOKSET, N.H. (January 17, 2009) - Junior Andrew Hutton (Brewster, Mass./Boston Harbor Wolves) netted his team-leading tenth goal of the season as Fitchburg State endured a 5-4 ECAC Northeast setback to Southern New Hampshire University this afternoon.

Senior Matt Arsenault (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) and freshman Kris Threlkeld (Centerville, Ohio/CD Selects) were also solid for the Falcons, netting one goal apiece, while senior Aaron Tiernan (Anchorage, AK/Helena Big Horns) added one score. Sophomore Erik Trahan (East Islip, N.Y./) paced the Falcons with two assists.

Sophomore Jon Lizotte (Winslow, Maine/Maine Moose) and classmate Andrew Hildreth (Leominster, Mass./New England Huskies) led the Southern New Hampshire offense with one goal and one assist apiece, while junior Thomas Ohlson (York, Maine/Bridgton Academy), freshman Doug Boulanger (Beauport, Quebec/Quebec Assurexperts), and junior Ryan DiBartolomeo (Leominster, Mass./New England Huskies) added one score each.

Southern New Hampshire opened the contest with an early 3-1 advantage as the Penmen registered two unanswered goals to close out the first frame. Lizotte put the Penmen on the board first with a goal at the 3:06 mark, while Boulanger and Ohlson followed suit with one goal apiece. Hutton netted the Falcons lone goal of the period at the 6:25 mark.

In the second period, both teams traded goals with two scores apiece. Hildreth and DiBartolomeo registered goals for Southern New Hampshire, while Arsenault and Threlkeld combined for two scores for Fitchburg State.

Fitchburg State inched closer in the final frame as Tiernan connected for his second score of the season just 5:04 into the period, but sophomore goaltender Todd Rowley (Billerica, Mass./Kimball Union) blanked the Falcons the rest of the way to earn the Penmen's fifth victory of the season. Freshman Bobby Leiser (Monroe, N.Y./New York Applecore) notched 17 saves for the Falcons while Rowley posted 25 saves for the Penmen.

Fitchburg State (6-6-3, 3-3-1 ECAC NE) will be in action again on Thursday as it travels to Worcester State College at 5:30 p.m. Southern New Hampshire (5-6-0, 5-4-0 ECAC NE) will travel to Plymouth State on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

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Southern N.H. 5, Fitchburg State 4

Scoring:
1^st Period: SNHU: Jon Lizotte (Dave Carroll, Andrew Hildreth), 3:06; FIT: Andrew Hutton (Erik Trahan, Chris Riggs), 6:25; SNHU: Doug Boulanger (Adam Ziegler), 12:45; SNHU: Thomas Ohlson (John Frey, Mark Lodge), 17:56;
2^nd Period: SNHU: Hildreth (William Toomey, Lizotte), 4:10; FIT: Matt Arsenault (Trahan), 5:11; SNHU: Ryan DiBartolomeo, 10:49; FIT: Kris Threlkeld (Andrew Jones, John Coutts), 15:40;
3^rd Period: FIT: Aaron Tiernan (Travis Bertolotti, Joe Rich), 5:04;
Goaltending: FIT: Bobby Leiser (39:13), 17 saves, Robert Vorse (20:00), seven saves; SNHU: Todd Rowley (60:00), 25 saves
Shots on Goal: FIT 29: SNHU: 29