(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

7PM

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

Iphone - Ipad and Ipod users click here

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

We used a stationary video camera!

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)
The Owls, the top-seed in the East Region, improved to 40-10 with the win. They will move on to next weekend’s Super Regional to play either Molloy or Dominican at a site TBD. Caldwell’s season came to a close at 39-15.

It’s the first time in program history that the Owls have advanced to the Super Regional round.

Southern Connecticut never trailed in the contest. The Owls started things off with a run in the top of the first. Nicole Buch (Darien, Conn.) singled with one out and moved to third base on a single by Kristin Whitley (North Andover, Mass.). Downs followed with a popup to Cougars' shortstop, Megan Fryday, who threw to first base to try to double off Whitley. Buch read the play and scampered home to give the Owls a 1-0 lead.

Downs extended the lead to 2-0 in the third with a solo shot to straight away center field. That home run was the 31st of her career, moving her past Megan Caporossi for first place on the all-time SCSU home run list.

Caldwell scored a run in the third and had the tying run on third base with two outs. However, Buch made a lunging stab at a line drive to record the third out of the inning.

Southern Connecticut added some insurance in the top of the seventh. Whitley singled and came in to score on Downs’ second homer of the day, a majestic shot that easily cleared the left field fence. The blast was the 15th of the year for Downs.

Larson set the side down in order in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the win. She did not walk a batter and struck out five in moving to 23-3 on the year.

The game was tied at 4-4 heading into the final inning. Southern Connecticut's rally began with two outs when Kate Hoffman (Orange, Conn.) placed a double into short left field. After a walk to Jessica Rosa (Wallingford, Conn.), Pouliot connected for a RBI single through the left side that plated pinch runner Alyssa Pagano (Monroe, Conn.).

In the bottom of the frame, Jayme Larson (Aurora, Colo.) sandwiched a walk to Meagan Guy around two outs. Elyssa Boris then followed with a single through the right side. Guy easily made it to third base on the hit, but Boris attempted to advance to second on the throw into the infield. The Owls made a throw to second base, but Buch alertly threw home as Guy attempted to score the tying run. Pouliot absorbed contact, but held on to the ball to secure the win.

Southern Connecticut was in control for much of the first four and a half innings. Playing as the visitors, the Owls started the game off on the right foot when Brittany Bucko (Wallington, N.J.) launched her team-high 18th home run of the year.

UMass-Lowell tied the game in the third, but SCSU countered with two runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth.

The fourth inning threat began with a single by Alyssa Downs (Seymour, Conn.), who moved to second base on an error one out later. After an intentional walk to Rosa, Pouliot laced a single up the middle to score Downs for a 2-1 lead. The next batter, Julie Muscarella (Suffield, Conn.) followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Rosa to extend the cushion to two runs.

The Owls added one more in the fifth. Buch singled, moved to second on a groundout and came in on a RBI single by Rosa.

However, the River Hawks tied the game with three runs in the fifth. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases before Caelyn Ford blooped a double down the right field line that cleared the bases.

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

(Video: Watch this video on the post page)

The Thunderbirds will compete in SCC’s Division II/III and be immediately eligible for the postseason – the top two Division II/III teams in the final SCC regular-season standings will compete in a championship game on February 27, 2013 at Quinnipiac University’s High Point Solutions Arena.

North Branford becomes the 16th team that competes in boys ice hockey in the SCC (8 in Division I; 8 in Division II/III).  The Thunderbirds are coming off a 13-9-1 season in 2011-12 that saw them reach the Division II state semifinals.

In other news, Amity Regional was moved to Division II (from Division I) and Lyman Hall to Division III (from Division II) by the CIAC Ice Hockey Committee.

Considered the most competitive ice hockey league in the state of Connecticut, SCC teams have won 23 state championships since the league’s inception in 1994-95, including a state-best 10 in the last five seasons.

DIVISION I
Cheshire, East Haven, Fairfield Prep, Hamden, North Haven, Notre Dame, West Haven, Xavier

DIVISION II/III
Amity Regional, Branford, Daniel Hand, Guilford, Lyman Hall, Milford, North Branford, Sheehan