GLENSIDE, Pa. – Franny Gerardi (Yonkers, N.Y./Selects Academy) etched her name atop the program record book for most career saves, but the graduate netminder's 27 stops were not enough on Saturday to hold off the Arcadia Knights as the Valiants fell in overtime, 4-3. The loss drops Manhattanville to 3-6-1 overall on the season and 3-4-1 in the UCHC.
Gerardi's history-making stop came at the 17:04 mark in the third period, denying Haylee Kos on a would-be game-tying tally to bring her Manhattanville career saves total to 1,862. She would add three more stops over the remainder of the game to end the day with 1,865 stops for her Valiant career, surpassing Rose Pijaca's previous record mark of 1,861 saves from 2015 to 2019.
Despite the record-setting performance, the Valiants as a team would suffer a hard-fought loss as Arcadia tied the game up in the closing seconds to force overtime. With the net empty and the Valiants being assessed a penalty, the Knights had a 6-on-4 advantage for the final 54 seconds of regulation. Arcadia furiously fired pucks towards the Valiant net, and while Gerardi made a pair of stops and
Erin Flaherty (Rockland, Mass./Canterbury School) blocked another shot attempt, the Knights broke through after a faceoff as Karahkwenhawe White scored with just eight seconds remaining from Ariel Williamson.
The duo would also earn the game-winner in overtime as White earned a hat trick with her third goal of the game 1:31 into the extra period. The Valiants fired three shots on goal in the first minute of overtime, all of which were turned away by Sophia Szelag to keep the Knights alive and score on their first shot in OT.
Three goals were scored across the game's opening five minutes as the defenses took time to find their footing. Williamson began the day's scoring 2:52 into the contest by way of Leah Hatcher. The Valiants found the equalizer at the 4:04 mark as
Charlotte Stanwood (West Vancouver, B.C./Penticton Secondary) found the back of the net for the first time this year off an assist from Gabreille Cox. The 1-1 tie was shortlived, however, as Arcadia retook the lead 48 seconds later on White's first of the game, scoring 20 seconds into their first power play opportunity of the game.
The Knights remained in front halfway through the second period. After being denied on their first two power plays of the day, Manhattanville finally broke through with the extra skater at 12:38 as Cox fired one home from
Annie Niedermier (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame) and Flaherty for her team-leading 10
th goal of the season.
Still even at 2-2 in the third, the Valiant power play struck again at 1:26. A roughing call carried over from the end of the second, giving the Valiants 1:51 of a 5-on-4 advantage. Niedermier would cash in from
Grace Felicio (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional) for the junior captain's second goal of the season, her first since the year's opening contest against Wilkes on Nov. 4.
The Valiants looked poised to complete the weekend sweep following Niedermier's go-ahead goal, but the costly boarding penalty in the final minute of play was the momentum starter Arcadia needed to find the equalizer and eventually win in overtime.
Gerardi was her busiest in the first period, making 10 stops across the opening 20 minutes. She would make nine saves in the second and eight in the third in her history-making outing.
While being limited to 27 shots on net, the Valiants were also outplayed on the faceoff dot as Arcadia held a 29-18 advantage on the day's draws.
Jada Mackinnon (Barrington, Nova Scotia/King's Edgehill School) and Niedermier both finished with six wins apiece.
Up Next
The Valiants will look to close out 2023 on a high note as they wrap up the first half of the season on Friday at Amherst. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
