Boxscore

PINE VALLEY, N.Y. – Freshman Tori Charron had two tallies and a pair of late second-period goals by the Soaring Eagles helped #8 Elmira College defeat the #9 Manhattanville women's hockey team, 4-3, in a non-conference battle on Friday evening at the Murray Athletic Center.

Three different Valiants scored in the contest as freshman Tori Pizzuto (Waterbury, Conn.) scored her first collegiate goal in the opening period, followed by goals from sophomores Jessica Kehoe (Kemptville, Ont.) and Mary Rose Morrison (Ridgefield, Conn.) in the second and third periods, respectively. Senior captain Shannon Coffey (Malden, Mass.) and sophomores Katie Little (Victoria, B.C.) and Lynsey Schill (Waterloo, Ont.) were credited with assists on the contest as the three forwards were essential in the Valiant goals.

The Valiants took the first lead of the game at the 11-minute mark of the opening period, as Schill fed a streaking Pizzuto down the middle of the ice. Elmira didn't waste time scoring the tying goal two minutes later on the power play as Charron wristed a blast from the wing over the catching glove of freshman goalie Mary Evans (Detroit, Mich.). Ella Stewart was credited with the assist finding Charron after cycling deep in the zone. 

The second period saw tons of action as the Soaring Eagles scored three times, including a pair of late tallies. Charron hit the back of the net for the second time just 1:27 into the period with an unassisted goal as Elmira took a 2-1 lead. The Valiants tied the contest at two on the power play as Kehoe came out of the box and scored on a scramble in front of the goal. Coffey began the play behind the net before a touch in the crease by Little helped Kehoe slide the puck past Elmira netminder Lauren Sullivan.

The Soaring Eagles broke the tie and took their second lead of the contest in the final two minutes of the second stanza as Lindsay Mitchell and Madison Johnston found Caitlin Metcalf on the side boards to make it a 3-2 Elmira lead. Metcalf's shot was redirected at the goal mouth after hitting a Valiant skate before going thru the five-hole of Evans. With 29 seconds remaining in the period the Soaring Eagles took a two-goal lead as Charron and Stewart found Mitchell alone in the slot for a wide-open shot to the top corner.

The Valiants inched closer to tying the contest in the third period as Morrison scored MVille's second power-play goal of the contest at the 2:20 mark. Both teams took chances late in the game and the Valiants were granted a power-play opportunity with 1:03 remaining. Manhattanville had a chance to send the game to overtime with a few seconds remaining but Little was stopped at the door-step by Sullivan.

The Valiants held a two-shot advantage over the Soaring Eagles (33-31) as Sullivan held the home team in the game by making 30 saves. Evans was good early in the contest, making 11 saves in the first period alone, and finished with 27 overall.

The special teams for both squads were an important aspect of the game, as Manhattanville capitalized on two-of-four power-play chances, while Elmira went one-for-four on the man-advantage.  

Manhattanville (3-1-0, 3-0-0 ECAC East) will get back on the ice tomorrow afternoon against Elmira (3-1-1, 1-0-1 ECAC West) at 3 p.m. Fans can listen to the game free of charge on GoValiants.com and WMVL 88.1 FM.