RYE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College women's hockey team enjoyed a successful first home stand on 2023, completing the two-game series sweep over Wilkes on Saturday afternoon. The 5-2 victory will improve the Valiants' record to 9-6-1 overall and 9-2-1 in UCHC play.
Scoring their highest goal total since Nov. 12, the Valiants enjoyed a pair of multi-goal periods to open up the contest. After a scoreless opening ten minutes,
Gabrielle Cox (Niverville, NY/Ichabod Crane High School) got the home team on the board. The senior's conference-leading 18
th goal extends her scoring streak to four straight games.
Kerry Carr (New Hartford, N.Y./Millbrook School) would earn the assist on Cox's opening salvo 10:14 into the contest.
Just under four minutes later, the Valiants found themselves on the penalty kill following a delay of game called on
Virginia Birnie (Ontario, Canada/Rosethay Netherwood School). Before the Colonels could even record a shot with the extra skater,
Annie Niedermier (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame) would deliver a shorthanded goal from Cox and
Laney Nash (Edmonds, Wash./Edmonds-Woodway) to put the home team ahead by a pair. The goal was the sophomore's first point since Nov. 12, her fourth tally of the season. Manhattanville would successfully kill off the rest of the penalty to carry the 2-0 advantage into the second.
After Niedermier broke her scoring drought, Carr followed suit with a pair of goals in the second period. At the 13:57 mark, Carr collected a pass from Cox to beat Emma Swansburg to put Manhattanville up 3-0. The Valiants would then find themselves on the power play after Kiera Lacombe was sent to the box for holding. While a pair of
Grace Genest (Wake Forest, N.C./The Gunnery (Conn.)) shots would be saved by Swansburg to begin the advantage, Carr would convert on the third shot of the power play from
Lindsay Reyes (Chino Hills, Calif./SUNY Cortland) and
Virginia Birnie (Ontario, Canada/Rosethay Netherwood School). The second period goals bring Carr's season total to three as she lit the lamp for the first time since Nov. 5.
Wilkes would get on the board 10:27 into the third as Savanna Maxon scored on a Colonel power play. The Colonels would get another opportunity with the extra skater at 17:26 following an interference call. The Valiant special teams shined once again as Cox would score the team's second shorthanded goal of the night, collecting a breakout pass from Genest. In all, Cox finished with four points on the night with a pair of goals and a pair of assists.
Wilkes would eventually capitalize on the power play, scoring a goal of their own 23 seconds after Cox as Emma Guzdek found the back of the net at 17:58. The remaining 2:02 of the game would expire without any further theatrics, completing the weekend sweep for the Valiants.
After getting the start in net yesterday,
Jewells Austin (Bethlehem, CT/Nonnewaug High School) once again got the nod in between the pipes for the Valiants. The sophomore was a touch busier than yesterday's eight save performance, making 24 saves as she picked up her fourth win of the season.
The Valiants held a 38-24 advantage on the faceoff, with Carr leading the effort with 11 wins. Niedermier added 10 draws of her own.
With penalties a plenty, the Valiant PK unit saw a lot of time on the ice. Manhattanville would kill seven of the nine Wilkes power plays, scoring a pair of shorthanded tallies to balance out the two Colonel power play goals. Manhattanville would finish 1-for-4 on their own power play chances, firing 12 shots with the extra skater.
Donations can be made to the Abby Harris Memorial Scholarship Fund at www.govaliants.com/abby.
Up Next
The Valiants now get set for a rematch of the 2022 UCHC Semifinals as the team heads upstate to Utica for a pair against the Pioneers. Puck drop for Friday's series opener is scheduled for 4 p.m.
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