SHELTON, Conn. — Kelly Nash earned her first win as a collegiate head coach. Goaltender Annie Abramson earned a victory in her first collegiate start. And the LIU women's ice hockey team is off to a quick start against NEWHA competition.

Carrigan Umpherville, Paige Vreeman and Journey Miller all scored in a four-minute span early in the second period to stake the Sharks to a three-goal lead en route to a 4-3 win against host Sacred Heart in the conference opener on Friday afternoon at Sports Center of Connecticut.

Umpherville's goal, which broke a 1-all tie 73 seconds into the second period, came on a penalty shot after Sacred Heart was whistled for delay of game for a skater covering the puck in the crease. Umpherville wristed a shot over goaltender Carly Green's glove and into the net after swooping down the left side to begin the penalty shot attempt.

"You want to get the goalie to make the first move," Umpherville said. "I got her to move side to side first. It was wide open. She was out of her net."

Sacred Heart ultimately clawed within 4-3 on a goal with 15:49 remaining in the third period, but the Sharks held on for the victory.

Abramson, a freshman from Boise, Idaho, was making her first collegiate start. She handled the goaltending duties in place of standout Tindra Holm, who was out as a precaution after leaving last weekend's second game against Northeastern after one period.

Abramson, who handled the final two periods last Saturday against Northeastern in her collegiate debut, recorded 20 saves — including 11 in the third period — on Friday to earn her first victory.

Holm had started 16 straight games dating to last season — a streak that began with a 22-save shutout win against Sacred Heart on Feb. 4, also in Shelton, Conn.

"I don't like the circumstances it was under, but it felt great," Abramson said about earning her first win, while alluding to Holm's absence. "It just felt really good, especially for our first conference game, to get the win. Coming in as a freshman, I'm young. It was a little nerve-wracking at the start, but I settled in. It was a dream come true."

Nash, the first-year coach, notched her first victory after four defeats to begin her collegiate head-coaching career. Of course, those opening four games came against 2022 Frozen Four participants Minnesota Duluth and Northeastern — the fifth- and third-ranked teams in Division I, respectively, at the time of this season's matchups.

LIU, now 1-4 overall and 1-0 in NEWHA, returns to action next weekend with Friday and Saturday games at Maine.

After the Sacred Heart victory, Nash, Abramson and Vreeman (first college goal) all received inscribed pucks as mementos.

"We started off the season against the No. 5 team in the country and the No. 3 team in the country," Nash said. "We felt like we put up a good fight, but it was still showing that we were 0-4, obviously, in the results. So I think getting this win, especially in conference, was a huge one for us."