RYE, N.Y. – Sophomore Tianna Lopes (West Vancouver, British Columbia/Pacific Steelers (JWHL)) scored two goals and added an assist, junior Amanda Sabia (Freehold, N.J./The Gunnery) added a goal and an assist and senior goalie Rose Pijaca (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Academy) made 31 saves, including a spectacular third period breakaway stop for the Manhattanville College women's hockey team in a 3-2 win over the Utica College Pioneers in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Quarterfinal Saturday, Feb. 23 from the Playland Ice Casino.

Manhattanville (17-7-2) killed off the first penalty of the game just over eight minutes in, then opened the scoring less than a minute later when Lopes scored her first of the game off an assist from senior Nicole Mensi (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Northwood School).

Just 29 seconds into the second period, on the shorthand, a precision pass from Lopes to a streaking Sabia set up a breakaway opportunity which Sabia converted, doubling Manhattanville's lead. Utica (16-9-1) got one back just past the midway point of the period when Ricki Haab put the Pioneers on the board.

Lopes pushed the Valiants' lead back to two goals at 13:50 of the period, knocking home the rebound of a Sabia shot. Elizabeth Dohner pulled the Pioneers back within one in the final minute of the period.

Neither team found the net over the first 10+ minutes of the third period, despite a power play opportunity for each side. With the Valiants on the power play in the game's final two minutes, Dohner found herself on a breakaway and a golden opportunity to tie the game, but Pijaca made the game-saving stop from point-blank range, keeping the Valiants on top. Utica managed three more shots the rest of the way, but Pijaca turned them all away, sealing the win for Manhattanville.

The Valiants now travel to Elmira next weekend for a UCHC semifinal clash with the conference's top-seeded Soaring Eagles Saturday, Mar. 2. The conference championship game will commence the following day between the winner of Manhattanville-Elmira and the other conference semifinal, the William Smith Herons and Nazareth College Golden Flyers.