PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — In a matchup between two nationally ranked teams, No. 1 Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey overcame an early 1-0 deficit to defeat No. 7 Norwich University, 4-1, on Wednesday night at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.
Plattsburgh State (2-0-0) next faces Buffalo State in a Northeast Women's Hockey League (NEWHL) game at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12, in Buffalo, N.Y. Norwich hosts Plymouth State for a New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) game at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12.
Norwich took a 1-0 lead in the first period of play. However, Plattsburgh State would go on to score four unanswered goals to make the final score, 4-1. First-year defenseman Mattie Norton (Glen Carbon, Ill./St. Louis Lady Blues) tallied two goals and one assist for three points to lead the Cardinal offense.
Norwich scored the only goal of the first period to put Plattsburgh State down, 1-0, going into the first intermission. At the 1:37 mark of the first period, sophomore forward Ally Lague chipped a shot from the right of the crease over the left shoulder of the Plattsburgh State goaltender for her first goal of the season. Senior forward Kenady Nevicosi and senior defenseman Morgan Tefft tallied the assists.
Plattsburgh State scored three goals in the second period to take a 3-1 lead over Norwich at the end of 40:00 of play.
Norton scored her first career goal to tie the game at 1-1 at 4:50 of the second period. On the power-play, Norton sent the puck towards the front of the net from the high slot. Her shot deflected off of a Norwich defender and went through the goaltender's five-hole for the goal. Graduate student defenseman and team captain Erin McArdle (Macomb, Mich./Belle Tire) and senior forward Sara Krauseneck (Saginaw, Mich./Northern Cyclones) tallied the assists.
Just over halfway through the period, senior forward Nicole Unsworth (Milwaukee, Wis./East Coast Wizards gave Plattsburgh State a 2-1 lead with her second goal of the season. Unsworth skated across the ice from the right circle to the left side of the low slot and then scored with a backhand over the goaltender's right leg. Senior defenseman Emma Killeen (Watertown, Conn./The Gunnery) tallied the assist.
Graduate student forward and team captain Annie Katonka (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite) capped off the scoring in the second period with her fourth goal of the season, assisted by junior forward Ivy Boric (Newport Beach, Calif./Anaheim Lady Ducks) and Norton, at 16:55 of the second period. Katonka beat the goaltender low on the glove side with a wrist shot from the slot to make the score 3-1.
Plattsburgh State scored the only goal of the third period to make the final score, 4-1. On the power-play, Norton unleashed a wrist shot from the high slot that beat the goaltender high on the blocker side at 11:08. Norton's second goal of the night was assisted by Boric and McArdle.
Senior goaltender Ashley Davis (Winterville, N.C./Northwood School) improved to 2-0-0 on the season with a 20-save performance. Junior goaltender Alexa Berg (1-1-0) made 37 saves for Norwich.
Plattsburgh State outshot Norwich, 41-21, in the game.
The Cardinals finished 2-of-5 on the power play and successfully killed off seven Cadet power plays.
Thanks to UFirst Federal Credit Union, admission to all Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey games will be free for the entirety of the 2021-22 season. UFirst Federal Credit Union is also the official Zamboni sponsor of Plattsburgh State men's and women's ice hockey.