Box Score Stamford, Conn. - The Manhattanville women's hockey team improved to 2-2-1 on the season with a 4-2 win over the Panthers of Plymouth State University.  Freshman goaltender Dana DeMartino (Massapequa Park, N.Y. /Massapequa ) picked up her first collegiate victory and the junior class tallied all for goals for the Valiants.

The first period started off with Manhattanville pressuring the Panthers in the offensive zone and on the forecheck.  Although Plymouth State had a two-man advantage, Manhattanville was able to kill both penalties and score on their ensuing powerplay as junior forward Alla Traun (Edina, Minn./Minnesota Thoroughbreds (JWHL)) tipped in a shot from the blueline from senior defender Caitlyn Beauvais (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia/Pacific Steelers (JWHL)).  The Valiants continued the pressure and would have had a 1-0 lead after one if it wasn't for some miscommunication in clearing the puck from the front of the net, as Plymouth State's sophomore forward Olivia Leon lifted the puck over DeMartino and into the top corner.

The second period featured a lot of back-and-forth hockey as the teams battled to take the lead.  After outshooting the Panthers in the first period 12-6, Plymouth State had majority of the scoring chances in the second but DeMartino was up to the task. After winning a faceoff in their own end, junior Trennah Stauffer carried the puck the length of the ice and came down the outside of the faceoff circle, beating Plymouth State's goaltender Ali Ponte short, blocker side to give the Valiants a 2-1 lead.
 
The game was made close in the third period even though Manhattanville dominated the Panthers, outshooting them by a total of 9-1.  The only shot of the Panthers happened to be a shorthanded goal as the puck was dumped into the corner and senior forward Meghan Cassidy centered the puck near the goal.  The puck caromed off the skate of sophomore Marisa Zamrock and between the legs of DeMartino to tie the game at 2-2 with 10:13 remaining in the third period. 
 
From then on, it was all Manhattanville.  The Valiants were able to convert less than four minutes later with some beautiful passing in the offensive zone which culminated with a Sydney Asselstine (Hartington, Ontario/Nepean Wildcats (PWHL)) backhand which beat Ponte over the blocker, giving the Valiants a lead they would not relinquish.  Junior forward Aubrey Bachand (Harwichport, Mass./Vermont Academy) would put the game out of reach as she intercepted a breakout pass and broke in on the goal, beating Ponte with a nice dangle as she slid the puck past the keeper with ease.
 
The victory gives the Valiants some momentum as they take on undefeated Southern Maine Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Terry Conners Rink in Stamford.