PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Thanks in part to an efficient power play, the No. 3 Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team posted a convincing 7-0 victory over No. 4 Elmira College in the consolation game of the Busters Cardinal/Panther Classic on Sunday afternoon at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena. It marked the largest margin of victory for either team in their 62-game all-time series dating back to their first meeting in 2001-02.
Plattsburgh State is ranked at No. 3 in the DCU/USCHO.com Women's Division III Top-15 Poll, while Elmira is ranked at No. 4.
The Cardinals went 4-for-5 on the power play and held the Soaring Eagles scoreless in six chances with the extra skater. Plattsburgh State finished the game with a 36-34 edge in shots on goal.
Senior goaltender Lilla Nease (Lake Forest, Calif./Anaheim Lady Ducks) made a career-high 34 saves to earn the shutout, which included a 17-save second period. Sophomore defenseman Mattie Norton (Glen Carbon, Ill./St. Louis Lady Blues) recorded three points on a goal and two assists, while junior forward Mae Olshansky (Wilmette, Ill./North American Hockey Academy) dished out three assists. As a result of her play during the tournament, Norton was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Plattsburgh State rises to 8-1-0 overall with the win and next visits SUNY Cortland on Friday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. to resume Northeast Women's Hockey League (NEWHL) play. Elmira falls to 7-2-0 overall with the loss and next visits Plymouth State University on Friday, Dec. 2, at 6 p.m.
Graduate student forward Nicole Unsworth (Milwaukee, Wis./East Coast Wizards) scored on the power play at 9:38 of the first period to put the Cardinals on the board. Norton passed D-to-D to Olshansky, who darted a pass from the right point down to Unsworth along the left post. Unsworth one-timed the pass into the back of the net stick side to put Plattsburgh State on top, 1-0.
First-year forward Grace Yarkosky (South Lyon, Mich./HoneyBaked) netted her first collegiate goal with 18:05 elapsed in the first. Senior forward Tatem Cheney (Ottawa, Ontario/Ottawa Lady 67's) passed up to senior defenseman Kendall Wasik (Novi, Mich./HoneyBaked) on the left point, and Wasik then fed Yarkosky with a pass in the slot. Yarkosky spun and put a shot through the five-hole to double the Plattsburgh State advantage.
At 10:45 of the second, Norton scored unassisted on the power play, as she intercepted a clearing attempt and ripped a slap shot into the back of the net from the left point. Graduate student forward Sara Krauseneck (Saginaw, Mich./Northern Cyclones) scored on the power play just 3:06 later, as she redirected a shot that Olshansky took from the top of the right circle. Norton also earned an assist on the goal.
First-year defenseman Aizah Thompson (Williamsville, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) entered the scoring column at 5:31 of the third. Graduate student forward Holly Schmelzer (East Amherst, N.Y./Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) sent a short pass to Thompson to her left on the left point, and Thompson took a shot that navigated through traffic and past the goaltender.
Senior forward Ivy Boric (Newport Beach, Calif./Anaheim Lady Ducks) added a goal at 7:51 of the third period. Unsworth deflected a clearing attempt that found the blade of first-year defenseman Francesca Caterina (Cambridge, Mass./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite), and Caterina backhanded a pass to Boric just on the edge of the blue line in the neutral zone. Once the Cardinals skated onside, Boric gained the zone, took a shot that was saved and then buried the rebound.
Finally, with just 1:16 left in the contest, senior forward Julia Masotta (Tewksbury, Mass./Norwich University) added a goal, scoring on the power play. Olshansky passed to Wasik on the point, and Wasik blasted a slap shot that Masotta redirected from the slot.
Elmira's sophomore goaltender Leonie-Louise Kuehberger made 21 saves against four goals allowed in the first two periods before handing the reins off to sophomore goaltender Alayna Breivogel, who stopped eight shots against three goals allowed in the third period.
The No. 6 University of Wisconsin-River Falls handed top-ranked Middlebury College its first loss since the 2019-20 campaign in the championship game, prevailing, 3-2, in overtime over the defending national champion Panthers.
All-Tournament Team
F – Britt Nawrocki, Middlebury
F – Maddie McCollins, UW-River Falls
F – Ellie Brice, UW-River Falls (Tournament MVP)
D – Mattie Norton, Plattsburgh State
D – Claudia Vira, Middlebury
G – Sami Miller, UW-River Falls