MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – Junior Karly Kapur (Sparta, N.J./N.J. Colonials) continued her torrid offense Friday evening, finding the back of the net twice to lead the Manhattanville women's ice hockey team past New England Hockey Conference opponent Salve Regina 3-1 at the St. George's School Ice Rink.
 
Kapur found the back of the net for the third consecutive game, giving her three goals for the week in two contests.  The two goals marked the first time in her career that she recorded a multi-goal game.  Junior Taryn Harris (Morrison, Colo./Colorado Selects) also tallied a goal in the game, and junior Nicole Mensi (Mamaroneck, N.Y./SUNY Plattsburgh) picked up two assists in the win.  Senior Kayley Romano (Viera, Fla./Boston Shamrocks), junior Sarah Sinning (Southold, N.Y./National Sports Academy), and sophomore Kat Reilly (Holbrook, N.Y./Boston Shamrocks (JWHL)) all added an assist as well.  Between the pipes, sophomore Rose Pijaca (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Academy) stopped 26 of 27 shots to remain unbeaten in NEHC play with a perfect 3-0-0 record against conference opponents.  For the Seahawks, Jennifer O'Connell made 29 saves on 32 shots.
 
Once again it did not take long for Manhattanville to strike first, finding the back of the net just over two minutes into the contest when a shot from Sinning trickled through the crease and Kapur got a stick to the loose puck to knock it in an open net and give the Valiants the early advantage.  Five minutes later the Valiants struck again, this time it was Harris sending a knuckling wrist shot from the top of the point that handcuffed O'Connell and gave Manhattanville a two-goal lead with 13 minutes remaining in the opening period.
 
The Seahawks got on the board with 2:22 remaining in the opening stanza when Taylor Chisolm sent a wrist shot inside the left post to cut the deficit in half for Salve Regina.  Manhattanville tallied the final goal of the contest late in the second period when Mensi sped down the right wing and attempted a shot near the right face-off circle.  Her initial shot was deflected off of a Seahawk defender's stick and ricocheted right to Kapur who backhanded it home for her second goal of the contest and the final goal to be scored on the night.
 
Salve Regina had an excellent chance to cut into the deficit late in the third period but the Valiant defense came up big and helped the crimson and black hang on for an important conference victory.  With 2:47 remaining, the Valiants were forced to go on the penalty kill and the Seahawks elected to pull the goalie to make it 6-on-4 hockey for the next two minutes.  Just 45 seconds into the minor penalty, the Valiants were assessed a major penalty, making it 6-on-3 for the next 1:15 and still a two-man advantage for the remainder of the game.  The Seahawks managed just two shots on goal over that final stretch and Pijaca was up for the challenge, keeping Salve Regina out of the back of the net and give the Valiants the 3-1 win.
 
With the victory, Manhattanville improves to 9-5-1 on the year, but more importantly moves to 7-2-0 in NEHC action.  The 14 points in conference play currently puts them in a tie for the top postseason seed after Norwich University fell to Franklin Pierce earlier on Friday.  Salve Regina remains winless on the year, dropping to 0-13-1, 0-8-1 in NEHC play.
 
The Valiants will continue their three-game road trip on Tuesday when they travel to Connecticut College for a battle with the Camels beginning at 7:00 pm.