RYE, N.Y. - Katherine Stahl (Middletown, R.I./Middletown) provided all the offense needed with her first collegiate goal while Olivia Cimorelli (West Deptford, N.J./The Hill School / Ironbound Elite) logged her first career shutout for the Manhattanville University women's hockey team to earn the Valiants' first home win of the season. The day removed from last night's 1-1 tie with the Herons, Manhattanville came out on top 1-0 on Saturday to complete the series. The Valiants now hold a 4-6-1 overall record while the Herons drop to 3-8-1 overall.
The team dedicated the contest as their annual Abby Harris Memorial Game as the Valiants and Herons were joined on-ice by Abby's mother Lourdes for a ceremonial puck drop to continue carrying on the legacy of a beloved teammate, daughter and Valiant.
After a scoreless first period, Manhattanville finally found their opening early in the second. Stahl not only scored the lone goal of the game but the first of her career. She shot from inside the blue line past William Smith goaltender Erin Murray to put the Valiants ahead. After a missed shot from the Herons, the Valiants passed the puck down the ice swiftly resulting in the goal. Cohorts Erin Flaherty (Rockland, Mass./Canterbury School) and Taylor Willoughby (Camrose, Alberta, Canada/John Maland) both earned assists on the score.
From there, Cimorelli handled the rest. After posting 31 stops last night on top of a 13 round shootout in which she stopped the first 12 attempts she faced, the freshman goaltender stopped all 27 shots she faced on Saturday for her first collegiate victory with a clean sheet.
William Smith came out strong offensively in the third period as those would be the final twenty minutes of the game outshooting the Valiants 9-0. The Herons gave the Valiants a scare almost netting a goal if it was not for the posts coming off. While not a single shot for Manhattanville was taken in the third stanza their efforts were needed on their defensive end which paid off as nothing was put past them.
The Valiants held off William Smith all through the third period thanks to them putting their bodies on the line blocking eight total shots compared to the Herons' four.
Annie Niedermier (Calgary, Alberta, Canada/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame) led the squad in faceoff wins with ten. Ali Joly (Pickering, Ontario, Canada/Dunbarton / Caledon Coyotes) followed closely behind with six in their conceited efforts.
Willoughby and Niedermier each had four shots. Danika Aubin (Guy, Alberta, Canada/Northern Alberta Xtreme (CSSHL)) had three and Lulu LePage (Swansea, Mass./Elmira College) and Harper Weisbeck (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) each added two to the mix. Four other Valiants had one shot a piece in the offensive efforts.
Up Next
Manhattanville takes a long break before suiting up for another gameday. The Valiants are back in action after the new year on January 4th at the Playland Ice Casino to face off against Curry College.
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