RYE, N.Y. - The Manhattanville women's hockey team started 2015 on a high note, defeating the Stevenson Mustangs by a final score of 2-1.  Senior goaltender Kirsten Shaughnessy (Le Center, Minn./LeSueur-Henderson St. Peter) was stellar in goal, turning away 34 of 35 shots on the day including several in the last three seconds as a dog-pile in front of the net almost allowed Stevenson to tie the game late.

Fresh off their first trophy in program history, Stevenson visited Playland Ice Casino after defeating UMass Boston in the championship of the Codfish Bowl. Entering with a record of 9-4, the Mustangs blanketed the Valiants in the first period as Manhattanville regained their legs from a long winter break.

Shaughnessy stopped all 13 shots she faced in the opening frame, while Stevenson goaltender Sarah Modzelewski stopped all six shots she faced in the first.  

The back-and-forth play continued in the second period. The Valiants were able to record 10 shots on goal, highlight by sophomore Scotia Bellavance (Campbell River, B.C./Pacific Steelers)'s first career goal as she sent a knuckle-puck (D2: The Mighty Ducks, anyone?) towards goal in an attempt to get a line change. Modzelewski, mishandling the bouncing shot, could only look behind her as the puck slid into the goal for a 1-0 Manhattanville lead.

With a one-goal advantage entering the third period, Manhattanville made a costly turnover behind their goal that resulted in Brooke Webber's third goal of the season, tying the game at one with 16:00 remaining.  

While the Valiants were 0-for-3 on the power play, their game-winning goal came just two seconds after Stevenson returned to even strength when freshman Sarah Sinning (Southold, NY/National Sports Academy) went coast-to-coast, dished a nice pass to Rachael Morrison (Ridgefield, Conn./Sound Shore Warriors (MAWHL)), whose shot was blocked. Sinning, who was in the right place at the right time, had the puck bounce right to her stick where she quickly released a wrist-shot, beating Modzelewski with just 4:45 remaining in the game.

The Valiants held on for the victory, bringing their record to 4-4-3 on the season. The team now travels to Northfield, Vt. for the Rutland Herald Invitational Tournament. Manhattanville faces off against Holy Cross in an ECAC East Conference matchup on Friday evening at 7 p.m.