A gritty all-around effort combined with a 51-save performance by junior goaltender Carmen MacDonald helped the St. Lawrence women's hockey team to a 1-1 against No. 3/4 Cornell on Friday night.

MacDonald was stellar between the pipes for the Saints (6-15-3, 5-5-3), quelling numerous Big Red scoring opportunities from point-blank range and making a combined 20 saves on Cornell's top three scorers in Jessica Campbell, Jillian Saulnier and Emily Fulton. In the second period alone, the Pictou, Nova Scotia native had 23 stops.

The Saints came out strong in the first period, holding Cornell (14-2-4, 9-1-3) without a shot for much of the first five minutes. They clogged passing lanes and were aggressive on the forecheck to keep the Big Red on its heels and slow breakouts through the neutral zone.

Despite being forced to kill a penalty early when sophomore defenseman Jenna Marks was whistled for hooking, St. Lawrence maintained its composure, holding the second-ranked Big Red power play to just two shots.

Five minutes after her penalty was complete, it was Marks who put the Saints in front 1-0 when she intercepted an attempted breakout pass in the Cornell zone and skated in alone on goaltender Paula Voorheis. Marks snapped off a wrister from the slot, beating the six-foot Voorheis high glove at the 12:23 mark of the first.

The lead would hold well into the third period until Cornell's Hanna Bunton backhanded the puck from beneath the red line into traffic in front. It deflected off a Saints defender and behind MacDonald to tie the game at one with just under six minutes to play in regulation.

Sophomore Abbey McRae had a pair of quality chances in overtime, but couldn't beat a sprawling Voorheis who finished with 20 saves for the Big Red.

St. Lawrence finished a perfect four-for-four on the penalty kill, including nine seconds of five-on-three play midway through the third frame.

The Saints will return to Appleton Arena on Saturday afternoon for a 3 p.m. game against Colgate.