RYE, N.Y. – For a second-straight postseason, the Manhattanville College women's hockey team erased a 2-0 third period deficit before scoring an overtime winner as the Valiants lived to see another day with Wednesday's 3-2 victory over sixth-seeded Arcadia. With the comeback victory, the third-seeded Valiants advance to the UCHC Semifinals Round to take on No. 2 Utica for a second-straight year.

Virginia Birnie (Ontario, Canada/Rosethay Netherwood School) delivered the overtime heroics, carrying the puck into the offensive zone off a pass from Catrina Chinetti (Hyde Park, Mass./Boston Latin Academy) with just under six minutes into the extra frame. With a burst of speed to skate past three Arcadia defenders, the sophomore snapped off a wrist shot from the right circle, beating Arcadia netminder Hannah Bergeron on the team's fourth shot of overtime to punch the Valiants' tickets into the semifinals.
 

Coincidentally enough, the path for Manhattanville's 2023 trip to the semis was nearly identical to how the team's semifinal appearance a season ago. The Valiants battled back against Utica in the 2022 semifinal around to send the game to overtime before netting the winner. While that comeback occurred on the road, this one was able to be enjoyed by the home fans at the Playland Ice Casino.

The Valiants outshot Arcadia in every period, but it would be the Knights capitalizing on quality over quantity through the first two frames. The Knights notched a goal in each of the first two periods while Bergeron was seemingly unsolvable in the crease. Morganne Dee put the visitors on the board with 14:49 gone in the first with a power play tally from Bridgit Terry and Abbi Komrofske. With the Valiants held scoreless with their eight shots in the period, Arcadia doubled their lead just 76 seconds into the second as Karahkwenhawe White struck from Ariel Willamson.

The Valiants had plenty of time to work with in the second to get something back, but despite putting 11 pucks on net, nothing was getting past the Arcadia netminder. The Valiants would enter the final period trailing by two with just 20 minutes to try and keep their season alive.

Things did not get off to the best start in the third as Grace Genest (Wake Forest, N.C./The Gunnery (Conn.)) was sent to the penalty box 4:03 into the third to put the Valiants down a skater. With Arcadia having the chance to put the game away with a power play goal, Manhattanville opted to flip the script. Morgan Miller (St. Augustine, Fla./Gilmour Academy) cleared out a loose puck to center ice where it was collected by a streaking Gabrielle Cox (Niverville, NY/Ichabod Crane High School). The senior forward corralled the loose puck at center ice and turned on the jets, managing to get just enough off on a shot with a defender draping her to finally get the Valiants on the board with 4:40 gone in the period.
 
The goal was Cox's fourth short-handed tally of the season as she moves into a tie for the most in the nation. It's just another accolade in what continues to be one off the best ever seen on Manhattanville ice, as Cox is now tied for the third-most goals in a season by a Valiant while currently tied for the most goals in all of NCAA DIII.

While the tally allowed Cox to continue rewriting the record books, there was still work for the team to do if they wanted to keep playing this weekend. The opportunity the Valiants needed all day long presented itself with 9:22 left in regulation as a pair of Knight penalties set the Valiants up with 1:11 of 5-on-3 play. Annie Niedermier (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame) looked to have the game-tying goal on her stick, but her twig caught too much of the ice as she wasn't able to get enough power on the shot that was quickly swallowed up by Bergeron. Still, the chance showed the Valiants they had something cooking as 30 seconds later Niedermier collected the puck at nearly the exact same spot where her previous shot was denied. This time, there was no denying the sophomore as she buried the feed from Miller right on the doorstep of the crease to beat a sprawling Bergeron to the right, tying the game up at 2-2 with 8:17 left to play. Cox was credited with the secondary assist on Niedermier's seventh of the season.
 
With new life, the Valiants fired 10 shots on net in the period but got the two goals they needed. The Valiants would generate all four shots in the brief overtime, including Birnie's game-winner to send the Valiants back to Utica for the semifinals for a second-straight year.
 

Franny Gerardi (Yonkers, N.Y./Selects Academy) made 17 total saves while occupying the Valiants' crease. After making three stops in the first, the senior goaltender made seven in each of the final two periods of regulation before not being tested in the 5:52 of overtime. She improves to 10-10-1 overall with a .941 save percentage and a 1.70 goals-against average on the season.

The Valiants dominated the faceoffs to the tune of a 41-10 margin. Miller led the effort with 19 wins on the draw, while Niedermier won 11. Grace Felicio (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional) was a very strong 7-of-8 on her faceoff attempts, while Kerry Carr (New Hartford, N.Y./Millbrook School) won all three of her battles on the dot.

Manhattanville's power play unit finished 1-for-3 with nine total shots, with the ninth being the one that mattered most. Arcadia also went 1-for-3 with six shots, surrendering the short handed tally as well.

Up Next
It's a rematch of the 2022 UCHC Semifinals as once again it will be No.3 Manhattanville taking on the No. 2 Pioneers. Game time for Saturday's contest is to be announced.

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