Boxscore

PINE VALLEY, N.Y. – Freshman Haleigh Hutchinson (Southgate, Mich.) scored the game-winning goal with 9:19 remaining in regulation, as the #9 Manhattanville women's hockey team defeated the #8 Elmira Soaring Eagles in a hard-fought battle on Saturday afternoon at the Murray Athletic Center.  

The Valiants took the lead early for the second consecutive time this weekend as senior captain Shannon Coffey (Malden, Mass.) found sophomore All-American Katie Little (Victoria, B.C.) for her team-leading fifth goal of the season at the 3:05 mark. Little found the puck at the door-step after a crisp pass from Coffey at the opposite wing.

Elmira got the only tally of the game in the middle period, when Tori Charron scored her seventh goal of the season with a short-handed breakaway goal. The freshman found an opening in the pads of sophomore netminder Emy Cote (Saint-Hubert, Que.) as she went to her forehand to tie the contest at one at the 1:06 mark.

Looking to get a split on the weekend series, the Valiants pressured the Soaring Eagles in the final period and found an opening in the Elmira defense midway through the frame, as Little sent a cross-ice pass to Hutchinson for a breakaway goal.

Both squads' penalty killing units were superb in the contest as Elmira erased six Manhattanville opportunities and the Valiants all nixed five Elmira man-advantages. 

The Manhattanville goaltending was stellar as well, as Cote made 40 saves for her third victory of the season.  Cote was huge in the first and third periods, making 19 and 18 saves, respectively. Elmira goalie Lauren Sullivan made 25 saves in the contest and held her team in the game even thought the home team outshot the Valiants 41-27 in the contest.

Manhattanville (4-1, 3-0 ECAC East) will remain on the road for a pair of ECAC East Conference games next weekend beginning with a Friday night meeting with the College of the Holy Cross at 7 p.m. The Valiants will conclude the trip against Salve Regina University next Saturday at 2 p.m. Elmira (3-2-1) will host SUNY Cortland for a pair of games next weekend.