PURCHASE, N.Y. – It was a record-tying performance by Franny Gerardi (Yonkers, N.Y./Selects Academy) in net for the Manhattanville College women's hockey team on Sunday afternoon, but despite the senior goalkeeper's best efforts the Valiants were edged out by No. 11 Amherst at the Playland Ice Casino, 1-0. The loss drops the Valiants to 6-3-0 on the season.

Gerardi made 55 saves in the contest, tying her own program record for most saves in a single game. The Yonkers product had last turned away 55 shots last season against Trinity, though that game went into overtime. Gerardi would face all 55 shots in regulation on Sunday, proving to be almost impenetrable in the cage. She would make at least 13 stops in each period, highlighted by 28 saves in the second period alone. Gerardi's impressive showing in the crease raises her save percentage on the year to .974.

As perfect as Gerardi was, it took just one blemish for the Mammoths to capitalize. With the Valiants on the power play in the middle of the second period in a scoreless battle, Manhattanville seemed poised to capitalize on their first sustained offensive chance of the game. The Valiants would fire three shots on net with the man advantage and would win a faceoff in the offensive zone with time for one last push. However, Maeve Reynolds was able to get her stick on a pass attempt and push the puck out towards center ice where the Mammoth forward was all alone in a beeline towards the Manhattanville cage. The rookie beat Girardi to the left of the cage with a backhand shot to put Amherst up 1-0 on the shorthanded goal.

The would prove to be all Amherst needed in this one as the Mammoths dominated possession. The visiting team put 56 pucks on net compared to Manhattanville's 13. Amherst generated 13 shots on net in the first period alone, adding 29 shots on target in the second before firing another 14 Gerardi's way in the final 20 minutes.

Natalie Stott preserved the shutout for Amherst with 13 saves, seeing the most action in the second period with seven stops. Gabrielle Cox (Niverville, NY/Ichabod Crane High School) fired a team-high three shots for Manhattanville, while Kerry Carr (New Hartford, N.Y./Millbrook School) and Grace Felicio (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional) both finished with two each.

Amherst went 28-20 in faceoffs, with Reynolds winning 11 of her 16 draws. Morgan Miller (St. Augustine, Fla./Gilmour Academy) led both teams with 12 faceoff wins.

The Valiants successfully killed off all three Amherst power plays, allowing seven shots over a total of 4:03. Conversely, Manhattanville went 0-for-2 with the extra skater, surrendering the shorthanded goal.

Up Next
The Valiants closed out the 2022 half of the calendar this weekend as they resume UCHC play. Manhattanville heads to Pittsburgh to take on Chatham University on Friday at 7 p.m.

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