RYE, N.Y. – Playing their final home game of the 2023 half of the schedule, the Manhattanville College women's hockey team fell in a 4-2 contest against visiting Connecticut College on Sunday evening. The Valiants fall to 2-5-1 overall on the season, concluding the first month of the campaign.

A pair of Camel power play tallies in the third period were the difference maker as Connecticut capitalized on the Valiants' trips to the penalty box to take the lead and put the game away.

The evening's scoring opened 9:27 into the first when Taylor Willoughby (Camrose, Alberta, Canada/John Maland) netted her first collegiate goal from Harper Weisbeck (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) and Jada Mackinnon (Barrington, Nova Scotia/King's Edgehill School). After Weisbeck's initial shot was saved by Jillian Wexler, the rebound came out to Willoughby just outside the right faceoff circle where she fired a slapshot into the top left corner of the net to put the Valiants ahead.

Jewells Austin (Bethlehem, CT/Nonnewaug High School) made nine saves in a scoreless first period in her first game of the season in net for the Valiants. The junior netminder would duplicate her save total in the second period, but the Camels would get a pair of goals on the board in the ensuing 20 minutes. After Sydney Cresta tied things up 2:57 into the period, Serena Seiple gave Connecticut its first lead of the night with nine seconds remaining in the frame.

Trailing 2-1 entering the final period of regulation, the Valiants had their first two shots on goal in the third turned away before they found themselves shorthanded on a tripping penalty at 4:03. Gabrielle Cox (Niverville, NY/Ichabod Crane High School), the nation's reigning leader in shorthanded goals, worked her magic as she collected a loose puck in the neutral zone and was off to the races on a breakaway. Wexler came out to challenge her, but the graduate forward kept the puck on her stick and fired it in to the open net to tie the game up 2-2.

While the start of the penalty kill was all the Valiants could have asked for, the Camels responded to the short handed tally 39 seconds later as Kate Hagness scored a power play goal to put the visiting team back in front. Connecticut added another power play goal at 10:22 from Claire Sammons. The Valiants were limited to six total shots on net in the third period, and despite finding themselves on the power play in the closing minutes of regulation, Manhattanville was unable to mount a response to the Camels' special team prowess.
Austin finished with 27 saves in the contest, a new personal best for the Valiant goalkeeper.

The Valiants held a 25-22 advantage on the faceoffs, with Annie Niedermier (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame) leading all skaters with 11 draw victories. Grace Felicio (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional) had a great effort on the dot, winning nine of her 11 draws.

Manhattanville finished 0-for-2 on the power play, limited to just two shot attempts with the extra skater. Connecticut finished 2-for-3 on their power play opportunities with eight total shots.

Up Next
The Valiants close out 2023 with three games on the road, starting this Friday in Pennsylvania for a 7:30 UCHC matchup at Arcadia.

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