Club shocked by Towson 4-3

Senior Chris Hourigan prepares to make his next move while heading toward the goal while playing against Towson on Friday night. The Flashes fell short in the last period losing 4-3. Rachel Kilroy | Daily Kent Stater

Credit: DKS Editors

The No. 9 Kent State club hockey team lost to unranked Towson 4-3 Friday.

Prior to Friday’s game, Kent State had a five-game winning streak and was in first place in the Central States Collegiate Hockey League for the first time in school history. The offense averaged seven goals a game during the streak, all against top 15 teams. However, this was not the case Friday.

Towson came out strong, scoring a goal a minute into the game. The Tigers also scored four minutes later, provoking the Kent State coach to yell at his team on the bench about the defense they needed to play.

Kent State forward Mike LePre scored the Flashes only goal in the first period. Towson scored with less than a minute left, bringing the score to 3-1.

The Flashes came out strong in the second period scoring a goal by forward Stu Smith 40 seconds in. Defenseman Steve Simmerer also scored, tying the game at three. Simmerer’s goal was his first-ever collegiate goal.

“A goal is a goal,” Simmerer said about his first goal. “It gave us a chance, but we didn’t capitalize after that.”

Kent State made a goalie change to start the third period in hopes of sealing a win. The Flashes managed to rack up eight minutes of penalties in seven minutes of play.

Towson took advantage of the penalties and scored a goal off the goalie’s leg pads with eight minutes left in the game. The Flashes were unable to answer Towson’s goal, breaking the team’s five-game winning streak.

Defenseman Ben Millard said the loss really hurt the team’s pride.

“The first period was not our best period,” he said. “The penalties didn’t help; they really hurt us in the first and third period.”

Towson coach Jonathan Mahaffee was very pleased with his team’s win.

“This is our biggest win in club history,” he said. “We’ve been trying to get seen by the country.”

Kent State returns home Nov. 21 against Washington & Jefferson and Nov. 22 against Adrian College.

Contact student recreation and wellness reporter Melissa Sidebotham at [email protected].