PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 3 Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team fell to the No. 6 University of Wisconsin-River Falls, 3-2, on Saturday afternoon to open up the Busters Cardinal/Panther Classic at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.
Plattsburgh State is ranked at No. 3 in the DCU/USCHO.com Women's Division III Top-15 Poll, while UW-River Falls is ranked at No. 6.
UW-River Falls scored the go-ahead goal 6:52 into the third period, and that score held down the stretch. Plattsburgh State pulled its goal with 52 seconds remaining, and while the Cardinals took five shots, three of which were put on goal by graduate student forward Sara Krauseneck (Saginaw, Mich./Northern Cyclones), the Falcons held on for the win.
The Cardinals owned a slight edge in shots on goal, 26-25, while both teams were scoreless on the power play, with Plattsburgh State going 0-for-2 and UW-River Falls going 0-for-1.
Plattsburgh State falls to 7-1-0 overall with the loss and hosts No. 4 Elmira College in the consolation game tomorrow at 2 p.m. UW-River Falls rises to 7-1-0 overall with the win and takes on top-ranked Middlebury College in the championship game at 5 p.m.
UW-River Falls opened scoring at 7:33 of the first period. First-year forward Kailey Niccum centered a pass to sophomore forward Bailey Olson to help the Falcons gain the offensive zone, and Olson wristed in a shot high glove side from the high slot. First-year defenseman MaKenna Aure also earned an assist on the score.
Krauseneck tied the game at 1-all 5:44 into the second period. Krausneck poked the puck away from a Falcon skater in neutral ice, and while UW-River Falls took control of possession briefly along the back wall in its own zone, Krauseneck forced a turnover out in front and scored low glove side while being tripped.
At the 16:45 mark of the second, sophomore forward Riley Calhoun (New Hartford, N.Y./Bishop Kearney Selects) gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. First-year forward Emma McLean (Burlington, Mass./Pomfret School) won a defensive-zone face-off ahead to Calhoun, and Calhoun poked the puck to graduate student forward Holly Schmelzer (East Amherst, N.Y./Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) to help spring her ahead into the neutral zone. Schmelzer skated down the left wing and centered a pass to Calhoun, who redirected the puck into the back of the net. It marked the first collegiate point for McLean.
UW-River Falls tied the game at the 19:50 mark of the second. Sophomore forward Ellie Brice sent a stretch pass ahead to senior forward Maddie McCollins, and McCollins walked into a one-on-one chance with the goalie. McCollins went to the back hand before sliding the puck over to the forehand and scoring low glove side.
Junior forward Aubrey Nelvin netted what ended up being the game-winning goal for UW-River Falls with 6:52 elapsed in the third. Junior forward Alex Hantge played the puck out in front from along the back wall, and after senior forward Abigail Stow got a touch on it to leave the puck sitting at the top of the crease, Nelvin banged it in.
Senior goaltender Lilla Nease (Lake Forest, Calif./Anaheim Lady Ducks) made 22 stops in the loss for the Cardinals, while senior goaltender Sami Miller turned aside 24 shots in the win for the Falcons.