MIDDLEBURY, Vt. -- Middlebury clinched the top seed for the NESCAC Tournament after a 3-2 win over Williams (11-8-2, 8-3-2) in a battle of the top two teams in the NESCAC standings. The Panthers (17-2-3, 12-0-3) survived a late scare by the Ephs, as they remain undefeated in league play this season.
Middlebury took a 1-0 lead 6:01 into the second period with a great individual effort by Micaela Thibeault, resulting in her first career goal.
Williams wasted little time on a power play midway through the second period, scoring eight seconds in. Hanna Beattieās shot from the point was tipped in down low by Gabrielle Vukasin for her sixth of the season. The power-play tally was just the second given up by the Panthers this season in 42 attempts during NESCAC play.
Middlebury regained the lead with just 42 seconds remaining in the period. After the original shot from the right side by Molly Sullivan was saved, a scramble ensued in the crease with Hannah Bielawski finishing for her sixth of the year.
The Ephs took advantage of another power-play opportunity 3:54 into the third period, tying the game at 2-2. Beattie took a pass from Caitlin Conlon at the point, before scoring with a slap shot into the back of the net.
Middlebury enjoyed back-to-back power plays beginning at the 14:38 mark, scoring the game-winner 29 seconds into the second opportunity. Carly Watson found Jennifer Krakower on the right side, as she blasted a shot past Billadeau for her eighth of the season.
No. 3 Elmira 4, Cortland State 1
CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Elmira (17-4-1, 12-1-0 ECAC West) used three third-period goals to break a 1-1 tie and defeat Cortland State (2-18-2, 1-11-1) 4-1. Tanis Lamoureux scored the eventual game-winning goal just 13 seconds into the third period, one of her two points on the afternoon. With the two points, she now has 99 in her career leaving Lamoureux just one point shy of joining the 100-point club.
Cortland scored first, about eight minutes into the second period when Laura Drew went bar-down on Elmira goaltender Lisa Marshall to give the Red Dragons the 1-0 lead.
It looked as though the Purple and Gold would trail heading into the third period, but assistant captain Brooke Wilgosh tied the game up at one apiece with 11 seconds left in the period.
Elmira rode the momentum of that goal into the start of the third period as the Soaring Eagles struck just 13 seconds in to take their first lead of the game. Lamoureux won the faceoff and the puck went to Erin Weston. Weston passed it back to Lamoureux who buried her shot into the back of the net.
Lamoureux would return the favor to Weston about 11 minutes later as Weston would give the Soaring Eagles a 3-1 lead.
The final goal of the afternoon came with 3:17 remaining as Anna Tude got in on the action.
No. 4 Norwich 4, New England College 0
NORTHFIELD, Vt. -- Norwich jumped out to a three-goal lead after the first period and never looked back en route to its 11th conscutive win with a 4-0 victory against New England College on Friday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena.
Senior forward Tori Charron tallied her second hat trick of the season, while Adelle Murphy also tallied a goal and two assists to lead the Norwich offense on the day. With the hat trick, Charron is now tied for sixth on the all-time NCAA Division III goal scoring list with 98 career goals.
The Cadets improved to 20-3-0 overall and 15-0-0 in ECAC East play, while New England College dropped to 3-21-0 and 3-12-0 in league play.
No. 6 Wisconsin-Stevens Point 1, No. 7 Wisconsin-Superior 1
SUPERIOR, Wis. -- Wisconsin-Stevens Point outshot the Yellowjackets of Wisconsin-Superior 46-21 but could not capitalize as the two teams skated to a 1-1 tie Friday evening at Westman Arena.
The Yellowjackets scored first, taking the 1-0 lead off a Karen Larson goal at the 11:31 mark of the opening stanza.
The Pointers responded with two minutes to go in the opening period when Janel Winters pushed past her third goal of the season, knotting the score at 1.
It was a goalies dual the rest of the way, with neither team able to capitalize on a power-play opportunity.
The Pointers took all five shots recorded in overtime, but could not break the stalemate, skating to their third tie of the season.
Janna Beilke-Skoug tallied 20 saves in net for the Pointers while Superior's Shanley Peters stopped 45 of UWSP's 46 shots on target.
No. 9 Gustavus Adolphus 5, No. 8 St. Thomas (Minn.) 1
St. Peter, Minn. -- Five different players scored for Gustavus Adolphus in a 5-1 win against St. Thomas (Minn.) on Friday night at Don Roberts Ice Rink. The Gusties scored three goals in the opening period to take a 3-0 lead into the first intermission and would not look back on the way to the four-goal victory.
Gustavus improved to 15-5-2 overall (13-2-0 MIAC) and takes sole possession of first place in the league standings, as St. Thomas dropped to 14-5-3 overall (11-2-2 MIAC).
Courtney Boucher, Courtney Potter (first collegiate goal), Courtney Bethune, Allie Lewis and Keri Pickel scored for Gustavus. Kelsey Barnier scored for St. Thomas.
Between the pipes, Lindsey Hibbard was rewarded with the win after making 15 saves. Taylor Neisen suffered the loss in a 10-save effort.
No. 10 Amherst 3, Trinity (Conn.) 1
AMHERST, Mass. -- Courtney Baranek and Tori Salmon accounted for all three Jeff scores as Amherst defeated NESCAC rival Trinity (Conn.) 3-1 on Friday night at Orr Rink in the second annual āPink in the Rinkā game.
The Jeffs (12-5-4, 8-2-3 NESCAC) are unbeaten in four consecutive contests and have won three consecutive against the Bantams (10-7-4, 5-6-2 NESCAC).
After falling behind early, Amherst scored three unanswered en route to the victory. Salmon scored twice and recorded an assist and Baranek assisted on both Salmon goals while tacking on the game winner in the second frame.
