Salem State Falls in Home Opener vs. Plymouth State, 2-1

THE BASICS 
Salem State, 1 vs. Plymouth State, 2

Records: 
Plymouth State University Panthers (2-0-0)
Salem State University Vikings (0-2-0)

Location: Salem, Mass. - Rockett Arena

Date: Saturday, November 1, 2025

THE LEAD—  Despite a short-handed goal from Isabelle Besser (Scituate, R.I.), the Salem State women's ice hockey team dropped its home opener, 2-1, Saturday evening. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Nearly halfway through the first, Salem generated a power play opportunity, and during that stretch, Aislinn Bennett (Methuen, Mass.) got off two shots while Halle Greenleaf (Ipswich, Mass.) also had a shot but could not find the back of the net. 
• With just 2:32 left in the opening period, Plymouth State got on the board first after Morgan Cunningham won the face-off, who swung a pass over to Claire Deis. From there, the puck found an open Maddie Wiggins by the right face-off circle, who blasted a shot past Delaney Cox (Spencer, Mass.) for the 1-0 advantage.
• Throughout the second period, both sides played each other hard back and forth. However, with 5:30 left in the second, Salem evened the contest at one courtesy of Besser. After the Panthers tried to clear the puck out behind the net, Talia Martucci (Winthrop, Mass.) intercepted the loose puck and then found Besser, who snuck her shot past Plymouth goalie, Teagan Wilson. 
• The Panthers ended up responding nearly a minute later with 4:34 left in the frame when Sofia Cuozzo put her shot past Cox, which made it 2-1, and the visitors took the goal lead going into the third.
• As the third got underway, the Vikes had multiple looks with 12:35 remaining when Bennett, Mallory Albanese (Nutley, N.J.), and Lauren Bosworth (Ashland, Mass.) peppered Wilson with three-straight shots but were unfortunately turned away each time. From then on, Wilson and the Panthers' defense held on for the 2-1 win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Besser's score is her first of the 2025 season and fifth of her career.
• Martucci's assist is the first of her collegiate career.
• Cox made 25 saves in her 2025 season debut for Salem on Saturday.
• Wilson ended the night with 25 saves as well for Plymouth.
• Plymouth held the slight advantage in shots, 27-26. However, the Blue and Orange outshot the Panthers, 13-8, in the first period.
• Plymouth and Salem have now faced off 18 times, and the Panthers currently lead the all-time series, 9-6-3.

UP NEXT

• Salem returns to action on Friday, November 7, at 6:00 p.m. when the squad hosts Salve Regina.