AMHERST, Mass. – Squaring off against one of the top teams in the nation, the Manhattanville College women's hockey team fell to No. 3 Amherst 5-0 in their first half finale on Friday night. The loss will bring the Valiants into the holiday break with an overall record of 3-7-1.

Manhattanville was limited to just seven shots in the loss, the lowest the Valiants have recorded in a single game in program history.

Despite the final score, the Valiants hung tough with the No. 3-ranked Mammoths through the opening 40 minutes. Amherst was limited to just one goal, a Jayna Park tally in the closing minute of the first, across the first two periods. Franny Gerardi (Yonkers, N.Y./Selects Academy) was nearly perfect to start the night as she turned away 31 of the 32 pucks fired in her direction in the first two periods to keep the Valiants in the contest. The Mammoths, however, silence the Manhattanville forwards as the Valiants logged just four shots on net across the opening two periods.

Amherst's explosive offense would blow the gates open with a four goal third period, starting with Maeve Reynolds' tally at the 1:44 mark. Natalie Fu, Cara Mancini and Emily Hohmann would each also find the back of the net as the Mammoths built up a 5-0 lead with 13 total shots on net in the period.

Gerardi finished the night with 40 total saves. The graduate netminder carries a 2.95 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage into the break, sporting a 3-6-1 record.

Only Catrina Chinetti (Hyde Park, Mass./Boston Latin Academy) finished with multiple shots on net for the Valiants on Friday, finishing with two. Grace Genest (Wake Forest, N.C./The Gunnery (Conn.)), Annie Niedermier (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame), Charlotte Stanwood (West Vancouver, B.C./Penticton Secondary), Jada Mackinnon (Barrington, Nova Scotia/King's Edgehill School) and Gabrielle Cox (Niverville, NY/Ichabod Crane High School) accounted for the team's remaining offensive attempts.

Amherst dominated the faceoffs battle, 33-10. Grace Felicio (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional) finished with a team-high four wins for the Valiants.

Manhattanville went 0-for-2 on their power play chances, being limited without a shot in both. The Valiant penalty kill went 4-for-4 despite the Mammoths firing 13 shots with the extra skater.

Up Next
It will be a month until we next see the Valiants take the ice when Manhattanville hosts Wesleyan on Jan. 8 at 3 p.m.

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