NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team continues its quest to win its fifth consecutive and seventh overall NCAA Division III national title on Friday, March 16, at Norwich University's Kreitzberg Arena, as the the Cardinals take on Elmira College in the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Tournament at 3:30 p.m. Norwich and Hamline University square off in the other semifinal-round game at 7 p.m., with the two semifinal winners to play for the national championship on Saturday, March 17, at 7 p.m. The third-place game will take place at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
TICKET PRICING: Ticket prices are $25 for an adult all-session pass to all four games and $15 for youth and students. Single-day passes are $15 for adults and $10 for youth and students. Tickets are available at www.cadetstickets.com, and the Kreitzberg Arena box office will open up for ticket sales beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
IN THE RANKINGS:
USCHO.com Women's Div. III Top-10 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Norwich (13)
2. Plattsburgh State (2)
3. Elmira
7. Hamline
D3hockey.com Women's Top-10 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Plattsburgh State (9)
2. Norwich (6)
3. Elmira
6. Hamline
HOW THEY GOT HERE:
Plattsburgh State qualified for its 14th NCAA Division III Tournament in program history, earning the automatic qualifier out of the Northeast Women's Hockey League (NEWHL). It marked the inaugural year of the NEWHL, which carried over the remaining five members (Buffalo State, SUNY Cortland, Oswego State, Plattsburgh State and SUNY Potsdam) from the ECAC West. All five schools in the conference are part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system.
NATIONAL SEMIFINAL BOUND AGAIN:
The Cardinals are in their 12th overall and seventh consecutive national semifinal after defeating Middlebury College, 3-1, in the NCAA Division III Tournament quarterfinals this past Saturday. Plattsburgh State is seeking its fifth straight and seventh overall national title. The Cardinals are also looking to make the championship game for the eighth time in program history. The only national championship game in which Plattsburgh State appeared that did not result in a win for the Cardinals was a 3-1 loss to Middlebury in 2005-06. Plattsburgh State has won more NCAA Division III national titles than any other school in Division III women's ice hockey history.
DISTINGUISHED CARDS:
Plattsburgh State reeled in several awards from the NEWHL this postseason. Melissa Sheeran was named the inaugural NEWHL Player of the Year and joined Courtney Moriarty and Hannah Kiraly on the All-NEWHL First Team. Kassi Abbott and Kayla Meneghin each earned a spot on the All-NEWHL Second Team. Following the team's 6-0 win over Oswego in the NEWHL Tournament championship game, Meneghin was named the Tournament MVP, while Moriarty, Brooke Wolejko and Lizzy Viola joined her on the All-Tournament Team.
In addition, by virtue of her NEWHL Player of the Year honor, Sheeran is a finalist for the Laura Hurd Memorial Award, which is awarded annually to the top women's ice hockey student-athlete in NCAA Division III. CCM/AHCA All-America honors and the Laura Hurd Award are handed out at Thursday's banquet, which will be streamed live at https://www.nsnsports.net/colleges/norwich/?event=38513.
AGAINST THE FIELD:
This year's semifinal field features two rivals of the Cardinals in addition to an opponent they have never faced. Plattsburgh State matches up with its longtime nemesis, Elmira College, in the semifinal round, and it will mark the 53rd meeting between the two women's hockey powers dating back to Plattsburgh State's inaugural season in 2001-02. The Cardinals lead the all-time series, 29-20-3. Norwich University and Plattsburgh State began their series in 2009-10, and a meeting on Saturday would mark the 22nd game between the two programs. Plattsburgh State holds a 14-5-2 edge all-time against the Cadets. Hamline University, an NCAA Tournament newcomer, has never played Plattsburgh State.
Plattsburgh State has played both Elmira and Norwich twice this year. Elmira defeated Plattsburgh State, 4-2, in the UNO Classic championship game at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena on Nov. 26 before Plattsburgh State downed the Soaring Eagles, 3-0, in the East-West Hockey Classic championship game on Jan. 8. The Cadets snapped the Cardinals' 26-game unbeaten streak in a 4-3 win at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena on Nov. 8, but Plattsburgh State exacted revenge at the Norwich East-West Hockey Classic at Kreitzberg Arena on Jan. 7, winning by a 3-2 final.
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS:
Several student-athletes contribute to a potent Cardinal offense that ranks sixth in NCAA Division III with 4.29 goals per game. Courtney Moriarty has an NCAA Division III single-season-record 14 game-winning goals this year, and she also leads Division III in power-play goals with 12. Moriarty is tied for second in Division III in goals (30) while also holding a share of third in the nation in goals per game (1.07). Melissa Sheeran is tied for seventh in the country in points per game (1.68), as she has registered 47 points this season on 18 goals and 29 assists. Sheeran also ranks third in the nation in assists per game (1.04). Kayla Meneghin ranks 17th in Division III in points per game (1.46, 38 total on 19 goals and 19 assists), and she is also 11th in the country in goals per game (0.73). On Division III's all-time list of point scorers, Meneghin and Sheeran rank fourth (186) and sixth (184), respectively. Hannah Kiraly leads the blue liners offensively with 21 points on three goals and 18 assists. Kiraly's 0.75 points per game are tied for 15th in Division III among defensemen. The Cardinals turn to two of the top goaltenders in Division III to backstop their defense. Brooke Wolejko leads the nation in goals-against average (0.83) and save percentage (.966), while Kassi Abbott ranks second nationally in goals-against average (0.93) and is tied for third in the country in save percentage (.957). The Plattsburgh State defense is Division III's best, averaging 0.93 goals allowed per game. On special teams, the Cardinals rank eighth in Division III both on the power play (23.5 percent) and on the penalty kill (89.9 percent).
A LOOK AT THE COACHES:
Fifteenth-year head coach Kevin Houle leads the Cardinals and has a 368-46-25 overall record, while Elmira is led by second-year head coach Tim Crowley, who sports a 42-8-6 overall mark. In the other semifinal game, 11th-year head coach Mark Bolding leads Norwich with a 243-62-20 overall record, while Hamline's third-year head coach Natalie Darwitz sports a 42-30-7 overall mark.