RYE, N.Y. – In an emotional night at the Playland Ice Casino, the Manhattanville College women's hockey team defeated Wilkes by a final of 4-1 on Friday. The Valiants improve to 8-6-1 on the season with an 8-2-1 record against the UCHC.
It was the first game back at home for the Valiants since the passing of Abby Harris on December 29. The team honored the loss of their beloved friend and teammate with a pregame ceremony. Senior captain
Franny Gerardi (Yonkers, N.Y./Selects Academy) delivered an on-ice speech thanking the Manhattanville community, the UCHC and all of Division III hockey for the outpouring of love and support the team has received over the past few weeks before sharing fond memories of her teammate that player for the Valiants in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season.
"During this past year you have taught me and others around you a valuable lesson that I'll hold close, which is to live a beautiful life," Gerardi said. "In our hearts forever, Abigail Harris."
The Valiants and Colonels would have a ceremonial stick tap in Abby's memory before partaking in a moment of silence.
As emotions flooded the building, the teams would turn their attention to the hockey game still to be played. Most of the scoring would come in the first period as Manhattanville and Wilkes were in the process of finding their footings. Although the Valiants would dominate puck control on the night with a shot on goal margin of 41-9, Wilkes would take advantage of some chaos following a pair of penalties leading to 4-on-4 play. As the Wilkes penalty expired, Anneke Bouma put a puck on net that snuck past
Jewells Austin (Bethlehem, CT/Nonnewaug High School), giving the Colonels a 1-0 lead on a power play goal just three minutes into the contest.
Manhattanville would bounce back with two tallies of their own before the opening frame drew to a close.
Brysha Schmidt (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./The Millbrook School) brought the game back to even 11:01 into the period with the third goal of her rookie season, her first score since the opening series of the season against King's.
Catrina Chinetti (Hyde Park, Mass./Boston Latin Academy) and
Laney Nash (Edmonds, Wash./Edmonds-Woodway) would pick up assists on the equalizer. Three minute later, Chinetti would pick up a goal of her own via
Ciara Dauer (Winchester, MA/Worcester Academy) and
Charlotte Stanwood (West Vancouver, B.C./Penticton Secondary). It was also the rookie Chinetti's third tally of the season.
Manhattanville outshot the Colonels 19-2 in the first period. While no goals would materialize in the second, the Valiants continued to hold the shot advantage in the ensuing frame, putting nine pucks on net compared to four by Wilkes.
The Valiants would net an insurance tally in the third period off the stick of the conference's leading goal scorer,
Gabrielle Cox (Niverville, NY/Ichabod Crane High School). The senior forward lit the lamp for the 17
th time this season and now has a goal in three straight games and in five of her last six. Cox was set up on the score by
Kerry Carr (New Hartford, N.Y./Millbrook School), who collected her first point since Dec. 3 with the assist. With 3:28 to play, Manhattanville extended the lead as Schmidt netted her second of the night. The three goal advantage allowed the Valiants to effectively close out the night as the remaining time ticked away.
It was Austin's first time seeing game action since Nov. 12 as the sophomore netminder was able to shake off the early goal to hold the Colonels in check. While not tested often, Austin turned away the final eight shots she faced on the night to hold Wilkes wo the lone tally. Austin improves to 3-0-0 on the season while in net.
Faceoffs were 28-19 in favor of the Valiants.
Annie Niedermier (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame) led the effort with ten wins on the draw.
Lillee Dougherty (Wakefield, R.I./Portsmouth Abbey School) would add eight wins on the dot, while Chinetti finished with seven.
Cox had a team-high six shots on net, while Niedermier put five pucks on target as part of an eight total shot performance.
Outside of the opening power play, Manhattanville would successfully kill off the other two Wilkes advantages. The Valiants would finish 0-for-2 with the extra skater, recording four total shots.
Donations can be made to the Abby Harris Memorial Scholarship Fund at www.govaliants.com/abby.
Up Next
The Valiants and Colonels will meet again tomorrow with puck drop scheduled for 3 p.m.
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