HERSHEY, Pa. – Make it four in a row for the Manhattanville College women's hockey team to open up the season as the Valiants remain undefeated to start the 2022-23 campaign. The Valiants completed the weekend series sweep of Lebanon Valley on Saturday afternoon, using three power play goals to defeat the Dutchmen 5-4. Manhattanville is off to a 4-0-0 start to the year with an identical record in UCHC play.

The Valiants would go 3-for-6 on the power play, needing all three goals with the extra skater to claim the win. Saturday was the first time this season that Manhattanville has allowed a goal by the opposition in a game that came down to the wire.

Morgan Miller (St. Augustine, Fla./Gilmour Academy) and Gabrielle Cox (Niverville, NY/Ichabod Crane High School) both had two goal nights, with the senior duo having now both scored a goal in each of the Valiants' first four games. Annie Niedermier (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame) also lit the lamp for the Valiants, making it three straight games with a goal by the sophomore.

Despite nine goals being scored in the contest, it was a scoreless first period on both sides of the ice. Goalies Jewells Austin (Bethlehem, CT/Nonnewaug High School) and Shelby Guinard each made eight saves across the opening 20 minutes before the offenses began to click in the second.

Katrina Strauts snapped Mannhattanville's shutout streak at 202 minutes to start the season as the Dutchmen got on the board two minutes into the second period on a power play goal. The home team would hold their lead until 11:21 into the frame where Cox responded with a power play goal of her own, scoring just 36 seconds into the man advantage off an assist from Holly Meredith (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Vermont Academy). With both teams back at full strength, Niedermier delivered the Valiants their first lead 58 seconds after Cox's equalizer, assisted by Charlotte Stanwood (West Vancouver, B.C./Penticton Secondary). Miller then got involved in the action as the second drew to a close, score Manhattanville's second power play goal of the night with 44 seconds left off an assist by Brysha Schmidt (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./The Millbrook School).

Alexa Spiers pulled the home team back to within one 2:32 into the final period of regulation before Miller struck again, this time on a penalty shot to reestablish Manhattanville's two goal lead at 4-2. Just over a minute later, Ioanna Christou made it a one goal game once again with 15:10 remaining in the contest. The score held there until 14:43 into the third when Cox notched her second of the game, Manhattanville's third power play tally of the night off Schmidt's second assist to once again give the Valiants a multigoal lead. They would need it, as Victoria Scurto capitalized on a power play with 1:56 remained to make the score 5-4. The Dutchmen would be unable to pull of the comeback, held off the board for the remainder of regulation as the Valiants leave Hershey with six points in tow.

Austin made 26 saves to secure her second win of the season, setting a new career-high in her second season on the ice for Manhattanville. Through two games, the sophomore goalie sports a .902 save percentage.

The Valiants went 39-34 on faceoffs, with Miller leading the way with 16 draws. Niedermier also had a strong showing in the circle with 12 wins. While going 3-for-6 on the power play, the Valiants went 3-for-5 on the penalty kill, allowing a pair of power play goals to the Dutchmen.

Up Next
The Valiants are back at home at Playland on Friday to begin a two game series with Arcadia. The UCHC foes will meet for a 3:30 p.m. contest to open up the weekend.

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