Box Score STAMFORD, Conn. – The Manhattanville women's hockey team sent senior Caitlyn Beauvais (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia/Pacific Steelers (JWHL)) off in style on Senior Day, winning the last regular-season home game of the season by a final score of 5-0 over the Saint Michael's Purple Knights.  Junior forward Sydney Asselstine (Hartington, Ontario/Nepean Wildcats (PWHL)) continued her already impressive season by netting a natural hat-trick while freshman goaltender Dana DeMartino (Massapequa Park, N.Y. /Massapequa ) turned away all of the 20 shots she faced to lead the Valiants to the win.
 
Manhattanville (8-11-4, 6-5-3 ECAC East), looking to clinch a ECAC East Tournament quarterfinal game, made great strides today.  The win, coupled with Southern Maine's 3-1 loss to New England College, moved the Valiants into sixth place in the conference standings and fourth among D-III teams, with next weekend's opponent, Salve Regina, sitting just two points ahead of them.
 
Looking to rebound after last night's tough loss to Norwich, the Valiants set the pace of play early and dominated Saint Michael's right from the drop of the puck.  Manhattanville, which recorded 52 total shots, kept the puck in the Saint Michael's zone for majority of the game.
 
In addition to Asselstine's three-goal game, junior Aubrey Bachand (Harwichport, Mass./Vermont Academy) and freshman Michaela Murdock (Chestnut Ridge, N.Y./Mid-Fairfield Connecticut Stars) also scored for Manhattanville, while juniors Alla Traun (Edina, Minn./Minnesota Thoroughbreds (JWHL)) and Michele Meggiolaro (Whippany, N.J./New Jersey Colonials (MAWHA)) both had two assists each.
 
Saint Michael's, playing physical from the start, recorded the first three penalties of the game.  It wasn't until the third power play that freshman Scotia Bellavance (Campbell River, B.C./Pacific Steelers), walking the puck in from the faceoff circle, put a shot on Saint Michael's goaltender Abby Burke.  Burke made the initial save but could not corral the rebound and Bachand snuck the puck past her to put the Valiants up 1-0.
 
Just over a minute later, junior Rachael Morrison (Ridgefield, Conn./Sound Shore Warriors (MAWHL)) forced a nice turnover in the neutral zone and found Murdock, who broke in on goal and beat Burke low to the glove side, giving the Valiants a 2-0 lead.
 
It wasn't until the second period that the Valiant power play struck again.  With just over 13 minutes to play in the period, Traun worked her way behind the goal and found Asselstine right in front of the crease, dishing her a nice pass that Asselstine put home with ease. Despite holding a 20-5 edge in shots, that was the only goal scored by the home team in the middle frame.
 
Heading into the third period with a 3-0 lead, the Valiants knew they had to stymie any chance Saint Michael's had for a comeback by putting another one on the board early in the period.  Asselstine answered the call as she rifled a shot over the glove hand of Burke for her second of the game.  The goal, coming just over a minute into the action, was assisted by Traun and freshman Lindsay Diot (Bethel, Conn./Boston Shamrocks).
 
At the 4:42 mark of the third period, Asselstine completed her natural hat trick in a fitting way, this time sniping over the blocker hand of Burke.
 
Meanwhile at the other end of the ice, after DeMartino faced only eight shots in the first two periods, the Purple Knights pressed in the third and recorded 12 shots on the Valiant net. But the freshman was up to the task, stopping everything that came her way to her second shutout of the year.
 
With a solid win under their belts, the Valiants have a huge week ahead as they prepare for two tough road games against Salve Regina and Holy Cross. The final weekend of the regular season begins on Friday night at 7 p.m. against the Seahawks.