READING, PA. – The Manhattanville College women's hockey team successfully bounced back from yesterday's loss and put an end to a two game skid on Friday night by earning a shootout victory at Alvernia. The 1-0 win in the skills competition following the 2-2 tie through overtime moves the Valiants' record on the year to 7-6-1 overall and 7-2-1 in UCHC Conference play.

In what has been an emotional start to 2023, it would be Morgan Miller (St. Augustine, Fla./Gilmour Academy) playing the role of hero in the Valiants' first shootout of the year. The senior forward scored in her attempt in the opening round, the only puck able to find the netting in the three round skills competition to secure the extra point for Manhattanville.

Leading up to the shootout, both teams would trade goals across the first two periods. Grace Felicio (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional) got the night started 14:10 into the opening frame, scoring her second goal of the season unassisted. The lead was unable to stand for long as Manhattanville was charged with a pair of penalties in quick succession to give the Golden Wolves a long 5-on-3 opportunity. Alvernia would convert on their first shot in the open ice as Sydney Bradley tied the game at 1-1 from Julia Franklin and Olivia Gilida. The Valiants were able to kill off the remainder of the second penalty without any further damage to keep the game tied entering the second period.

It was a similar series of events in the following frame as Manhattanville reclaimed the lead halfway through the period. Gabrielle Cox (Niverville, NY/Ichabod Crane High School) scored her conference-leading 16^th goal of the season, her fourth in the team's last five games, to put the Valiants back on top, 2-1. However, it would once again be a costly penalty that allowed Alvernia to even the score 13:16 into the period as Gilida finished a set up from Carolyn Burton and Franklin during the 5-on-4 to send the game into the third once again all evened up.

The Valiants would fire 13 shots over the final 20 minutes of regulation but were unable to get another puck past netminder Julia Beaven, ending the night with 30 total saves. Meanwhile, the Valiants were able to successfully kill off the lone Alvernia power play of the period while limiting the Golden Wolves to just five shots to send the game to overtime. Manhattanville found themselves in a hazardous situation throughout the five minute extra frame as they were charged with a pair of penalties across the opening 1:49. Being down a skater forced the Valiants to play a more defensive style to keep Alvernia at bay, and while they were outshot 5-0 in the overtime period, Manhattanville survived the power play chances to force the shootout.

After Miller scored in the opening round, Alverina sent Abby Reisinger out for their first attempt before being stonewalled by Franny Gerardi (Yonkers, N.Y./Selects Academy). Cox and Catrina Chinetti (Hyde Park, Mass./Boston Latin Academy) were both unsuccessful in their attempts in rounds two and three respectively, but Amber Steinhilpert and Franklin were unable to match Miller's score in Alvernia's final two attempts.

In all, a busy PK unit for the Valiants finished the night 4-of-6 on kill attempts, allowing nine shots. Conversely, Manhattanville was 0-for-4 on the power play with nine shots of their own. Gerardi finished the night with 21 total saves, making five in periods one, three and overtime while stopping six shots in the second. Alvernia won the faceoff battle 34-28, with Miller being the Valiants' best on the draw on the night with 16 wins.

Up Next
The Valiants return to action in a week's time, back at the Playland Ice Casino for the first time since Nov. 27. Manhattanville hosts UCHC foe Wilkes for a two game series starting on Friday at 7 p.m.

VALIANTS on SOCIAL MEDIA For the latest on Manhattanville Athletics, follow the Valiants via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.  #WeAreValiant #GoValiants