RYE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville women's hockey team dominated a previously undefeated Nichols team, winning by a final score of 5-0. Junior forward Kyra Herbert (Plainfield, N.H./Lebanon) led the Valiants with three points on two goals and an assist, while senior goaltender Kirsten Shaughnessy (Le Center, Minn./LeSueur-Henderson St. Peter) posted her first shutout of the 2014 season, turning aside 13 shots on the day.

From the drop of the puck Manhattanville was clearly a level above Nichols. Freshman Cassie Kent crashed the net with authority at the 4:39 mark of the first period and was rewarded with the first goal of her collegiate career.

It was that kind of day for the Valiants. Manhattanville consistently won the small battles that led to big victory. The team outskated, outhustled and outworked the Bison from start to finish.

Less than a minute later Herbert buried her first goal, assisted by senior captain Alla Traun (Edina, Minn./Minnesota Thoroughbreds (JWHL)) who tallied helpers on both of Herbert's goals. In a reversal of fortune, at the 9:04 mark of the first period, it was Herbert who would assist Traun as the forward hustled to the low slot area and put home the rebound from Herbert's shot on her strong-side wing.

The Valiants continued to overwhelm the Bison as Nichols struggled to get the puck out of their zone. With just under two minutes to go, senior forward Michele Meggiolaro (Whippany, N.J./New Jersey Colonials (MAWHA)) demonstrated tremendous individual effort and talent as she intercepted a breakout pass at the blue line and then proceeded to stickhandle through four Bison defenders before leaving Nichols goaltender Tori Gianformaggio scratching her head as she ended up near the face-off dot, off of Meggiolaro's deke, while Meggiolaro slid the puck into a wide open net.

It was 4-0 Valiants after the first period. As you can imagine, that was pretty much all she wrote. Herbert put in her second goal of the game at the 12:29 mark of the second period.

When it was all over the Valiants picked up their first win of the season, their first win back at Playland Ice Casino and their first win in ECAC East conference play. A tremendous way to enter a week's long break, as the Valiants don't take the ice until next Friday to face off against another ECAC East opponent in Salve Regina.