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Plattsburgh State outduels rival in women’s hockey
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Plattsburgh State exacted revenge March 17, beating returning champion Middlebury for the Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Championship in a rematch of the 2006 final. Middlebury won that matchup, but fell to the Cardinals, 2-1, in their bid for a fourth consecutive national title.
“Middlebury is a great team. We have a lot of respect for them. It’s a great feeling to beat a team that beat you for a championship the season before,” head coach Kevin Houle said. “Last year, getting to the finals at home and losing got to us, because we knew we had the talent. That loss hurt a lot. Our resolve was not to lose this year.”
The loss was avoided, but Middlebury’s stellar defense held the Cardinals to their lowest goal output of the season. Middlebury senior forward Shannon Sylvester said the team never quit in its quest for the championship.
“I don’t think there was one person on the team who didn’t believe in each other. We thought from the very beginning that this was our game,” she said. “We never lost faith in ourselves that we were going to win the game. We kept battling, but we just ran out of time. The worst thing is that’s the last time I put on the skates.”
Plattsburgh State got on the board first when Lindsay Brown found the net 19 minutes into the first period, with assists from teammates Danielle Blanchard and Lindsay Littman. The defenders were solid as well, not allowing Middlebury to attempt a shot until the period was half over. Blanchard and Littman then found Shay Bywater to add to the lead in the early minutes of the second period.
Middlebury’s captain Sylvester mounted a comeback with a goal with fewer than five minutes remaining in the second period, but neither team scored in the final period. Senior Bree Doyle made 28 saves for Plattsburgh State and earned all-tournament-team honors. Teammates Bywater and Blanchard also made the all-tournament team. They were joined by Amherst’s Tarasai Karega and Middlebury’s Sllen Sargent and Shannon Tarrant.
Plattsburgh State’s victory brings its first women’s ice hockey title to the school, giving the school three national titles overall. The men’s team won titles in 2001 and 1992.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling right now. I’m so proud of these girls. They never quit, never panicked,” Houle said. “In some ways, it’s a relief because there’s a calming feeling to accomplish what we set out to do. I’m so happy for the team, and every girl on the team paid a price to get (the championship).”
Plattsburgh finished the season undefeated, (27-0-2), including two previous victories over the Panthers. The undefeated season is a first for a women’s ice hockey champion. Middlebury ended its season 23-4-2.
In the third-place game, Wisconsin-Stevens Point won a thriller, 3-2, over Amherst off a Nicole Grossman goal with just 1:09 left in the overtime period. The Pointers also won the third-place game in 2006.
Regionals
Amherst 2, Rochester Inst. 1; Middlebury 3, Manhattanville 1; Wis.-Stevens Point 4, Gust. Adolphus 1.
Semifinals
Plattsburgh St. 1 2 0 — 3
Amherst 0 1 1 — 2
First period: PS — Shay Bywater (Danielle Blanchard), 2:49.
Penalties: PS — Keltie Jones (tripping), Julie Devereux (holding); A — Alyssa Chwick (interference), Tes Siarnacki (tripping).
Second period: A — Elizabeth Ditmore (unassisted), 2:12; PS — Jessica Moreau (Lindsay Brown), 11:36; PS — Blanchard (Lesley Ann Mitchell), 13:02.
Penalties: PS — Moreau (tripping), Claire O’Connor (contact to the head), Mitchell (tripping); A — Michelle McGann (interference), Chwick (checking), McGann (tripping), Rachel Simon (tripping).
Third period: A — Tarasai Karega (McGann, Kate Dennett), 3:16.
Penalties: PS — Moreau (hooking), Blanchard (hooking).
Saves: Breanne Doyle (Platsburgh St.) 26, Krystyn Elek (Amherst) 36.
Middlebury 1 1 3 — 5
Wis.-Stevens Point 0 0 1 — 1
First period: M — Karen Levin (Annmarie Cellino, Shannon Tarrant), 13:12.
Penalties: WSP — Sarah Phillips (hitting from behind).
Second period: M — Ellen Sargent (Molly Vitt, Alison Graddock) 1:11.
Penalties: M — Tanie Kenny (contact to the head), Kenny (tripping), Marjie Billings (interference), Shannon Sylvester (tripping); WSP — Katy Lankey (holding), Jesse Suter (roughing), Trik Piskula (tripping), Jenna Daggit (interference), Michelle Sosnowski (hooking), Jamie Lewandowski (interference).
Third period: M — Vitt (Sargent), 1:25; M — Abby Kurtz-Phelan (Levin, Tarrant), 2:18; WSP — Lankey (Suter), 10:53; M — Sylvester (Kurtz-Phelan), 19:05.
Saves: Lani Wright (Middlebury) 26. Amy Statz (Wis.-Stevens Point) 25.
Third-place game
Wis.-Stevens Point 2 1 0 1 — 4
Amherst 0 2 1 0 — 3
First period: WSP — Rachael Graves (Lauren Kellin) 3:31; Michelle Sosnowski (Jamie Lewandoski) 3:41.
Penalties: WSP — Graves (checking), Sarah Phillips (hooking), Chris Hanson (obstruction hooking); A — Megan Quinn (roughing), Anna MacLean (interference).
Second period: A — Quinn (unassisted), 5:07; WSP — Madison Darud (Sosnowski, Trish Piskula), 8:08; A — Tarasai Karega (Michelle McGann, Alyssa Chwick), 19:32.
Penalties: WSP — Kate Lankey (hitting after the whistle); A — Kate Dennett (roughing), Quinn (checking), Lindsey Harrington (contact to the head).
Third period: A — Karega (unassisted) 3:05.
Penalties: WSP — Nicole Grossmann (tripping), Grossmann (cross-checking); A — Bench (too many players, served by Molly Malloy).
Overtime: WSP — Grossmann (Hanson), 3:51.
Penalties: WSP — Hanson (interference), Sosnowski (tripping); A — MacLean (holding).
Saves: Amy Statz (Wis.-Stevens Point) 24. Lindsay Grabowski (Amherst) 12, Krystyn Elek (Amherst) 20.
Championship game
Plattsburgh State 1 1 0 — 2
Middlebury 0 1 0 — 1
First period: PS — Lindsay Brown (Danielle Blanchard, Lindsay Littman), 19:00.
Penalties: PS — Kayla McDougall (hooking); M — Randi Dumont (hitting from behind), Dumont (holding).
Second period: PS — Shay Bywater (Blanchard, Littman), 6:38; M — Shannon Sylvester (Karen Levin, Shannon Tarrant), 15:58.
Penalties: PS — Lesley Ann Mitchell (tripping), Sarah Samson (hitting after the whistle), Jessica Moreau (hooking).
Third period: No scoring.
Penalties: M — Annmarie Cellino (intereference).
Saves: Breanne Doyle (Plattsburgh St.) 28. Lani Wright (Middlebury) 22.
“Middlebury is a great team. We have a lot of respect for them. It’s a great feeling to beat a team that beat you for a championship the season before,” head coach Kevin Houle said. “Last year, getting to the finals at home and losing got to us, because we knew we had the talent. That loss hurt a lot. Our resolve was not to lose this year.”
The loss was avoided, but Middlebury’s stellar defense held the Cardinals to their lowest goal output of the season. Middlebury senior forward Shannon Sylvester said the team never quit in its quest for the championship.
“I don’t think there was one person on the team who didn’t believe in each other. We thought from the very beginning that this was our game,” she said. “We never lost faith in ourselves that we were going to win the game. We kept battling, but we just ran out of time. The worst thing is that’s the last time I put on the skates.”
Plattsburgh State got on the board first when Lindsay Brown found the net 19 minutes into the first period, with assists from teammates Danielle Blanchard and Lindsay Littman. The defenders were solid as well, not allowing Middlebury to attempt a shot until the period was half over. Blanchard and Littman then found Shay Bywater to add to the lead in the early minutes of the second period.
Middlebury’s captain Sylvester mounted a comeback with a goal with fewer than five minutes remaining in the second period, but neither team scored in the final period. Senior Bree Doyle made 28 saves for Plattsburgh State and earned all-tournament-team honors. Teammates Bywater and Blanchard also made the all-tournament team. They were joined by Amherst’s Tarasai Karega and Middlebury’s Sllen Sargent and Shannon Tarrant.
Plattsburgh State’s victory brings its first women’s ice hockey title to the school, giving the school three national titles overall. The men’s team won titles in 2001 and 1992.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling right now. I’m so proud of these girls. They never quit, never panicked,” Houle said. “In some ways, it’s a relief because there’s a calming feeling to accomplish what we set out to do. I’m so happy for the team, and every girl on the team paid a price to get (the championship).”
Plattsburgh finished the season undefeated, (27-0-2), including two previous victories over the Panthers. The undefeated season is a first for a women’s ice hockey champion. Middlebury ended its season 23-4-2.
In the third-place game, Wisconsin-Stevens Point won a thriller, 3-2, over Amherst off a Nicole Grossman goal with just 1:09 left in the overtime period. The Pointers also won the third-place game in 2006.
Regionals
Amherst 2, Rochester Inst. 1; Middlebury 3, Manhattanville 1; Wis.-Stevens Point 4, Gust. Adolphus 1.
Semifinals
Plattsburgh St. 1 2 0 — 3
Amherst 0 1 1 — 2
First period: PS — Shay Bywater (Danielle Blanchard), 2:49.
Penalties: PS — Keltie Jones (tripping), Julie Devereux (holding); A — Alyssa Chwick (interference), Tes Siarnacki (tripping).
Second period: A — Elizabeth Ditmore (unassisted), 2:12; PS — Jessica Moreau (Lindsay Brown), 11:36; PS — Blanchard (Lesley Ann Mitchell), 13:02.
Penalties: PS — Moreau (tripping), Claire O’Connor (contact to the head), Mitchell (tripping); A — Michelle McGann (interference), Chwick (checking), McGann (tripping), Rachel Simon (tripping).
Third period: A — Tarasai Karega (McGann, Kate Dennett), 3:16.
Penalties: PS — Moreau (hooking), Blanchard (hooking).
Saves: Breanne Doyle (Platsburgh St.) 26, Krystyn Elek (Amherst) 36.
Middlebury 1 1 3 — 5
Wis.-Stevens Point 0 0 1 — 1
First period: M — Karen Levin (Annmarie Cellino, Shannon Tarrant), 13:12.
Penalties: WSP — Sarah Phillips (hitting from behind).
Second period: M — Ellen Sargent (Molly Vitt, Alison Graddock) 1:11.
Penalties: M — Tanie Kenny (contact to the head), Kenny (tripping), Marjie Billings (interference), Shannon Sylvester (tripping); WSP — Katy Lankey (holding), Jesse Suter (roughing), Trik Piskula (tripping), Jenna Daggit (interference), Michelle Sosnowski (hooking), Jamie Lewandowski (interference).
Third period: M — Vitt (Sargent), 1:25; M — Abby Kurtz-Phelan (Levin, Tarrant), 2:18; WSP — Lankey (Suter), 10:53; M — Sylvester (Kurtz-Phelan), 19:05.
Saves: Lani Wright (Middlebury) 26. Amy Statz (Wis.-Stevens Point) 25.
Third-place game
Wis.-Stevens Point 2 1 0 1 — 4
Amherst 0 2 1 0 — 3
First period: WSP — Rachael Graves (Lauren Kellin) 3:31; Michelle Sosnowski (Jamie Lewandoski) 3:41.
Penalties: WSP — Graves (checking), Sarah Phillips (hooking), Chris Hanson (obstruction hooking); A — Megan Quinn (roughing), Anna MacLean (interference).
Second period: A — Quinn (unassisted), 5:07; WSP — Madison Darud (Sosnowski, Trish Piskula), 8:08; A — Tarasai Karega (Michelle McGann, Alyssa Chwick), 19:32.
Penalties: WSP — Kate Lankey (hitting after the whistle); A — Kate Dennett (roughing), Quinn (checking), Lindsey Harrington (contact to the head).
Third period: A — Karega (unassisted) 3:05.
Penalties: WSP — Nicole Grossmann (tripping), Grossmann (cross-checking); A — Bench (too many players, served by Molly Malloy).
Overtime: WSP — Grossmann (Hanson), 3:51.
Penalties: WSP — Hanson (interference), Sosnowski (tripping); A — MacLean (holding).
Saves: Amy Statz (Wis.-Stevens Point) 24. Lindsay Grabowski (Amherst) 12, Krystyn Elek (Amherst) 20.
Championship game
Plattsburgh State 1 1 0 — 2
Middlebury 0 1 0 — 1
First period: PS — Lindsay Brown (Danielle Blanchard, Lindsay Littman), 19:00.
Penalties: PS — Kayla McDougall (hooking); M — Randi Dumont (hitting from behind), Dumont (holding).
Second period: PS — Shay Bywater (Blanchard, Littman), 6:38; M — Shannon Sylvester (Karen Levin, Shannon Tarrant), 15:58.
Penalties: PS — Lesley Ann Mitchell (tripping), Sarah Samson (hitting after the whistle), Jessica Moreau (hooking).
Third period: No scoring.
Penalties: M — Annmarie Cellino (intereference).
Saves: Breanne Doyle (Plattsburgh St.) 28. Lani Wright (Middlebury) 22.
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