POTSDAM, N.Y.-Second ranked Elmira College (8-1, 5-0 ECAC West) defeated the SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey team (3-6-2, 1-6-1) 5-0 in the first contest of a two-game series on Saturday night. Five different players scored for the Soaring Eagles.
Tight defense was the story of the first period. The Bears took the first three shots of the contest and killed off two Elmira power plays in impressive fashion. However, the Soaring Eagles were able to generate good pressure over the last six minutes of the period. At the 17:52 mark, Elmira finally solved Potsdam senior assistant captain Abby Tardelli (Potsdam, N.Y./North Country Ice Storm) as junior forward Jessica Prance (Chaumont, N.Y./Perth Predators) roofed a shot from the right side of the crease. Elmira led 1-0 at the first intermission.
The Soaring Eagles doubled the lead at 4:17 of the second period. Freshman forward Maddy Jerolman (Hamden, Conn./Williston Northampton School) made the most of a Bears turnover with another shot into the top of the net. The contest was still fairly evenly played until just past the 16-minute mark. At 16:31, sophomore forward Sarah Hughson (East Haddem, Conn./The Gunnery) completed a long breakout play to make it 3-0. With 18 seconds left in the period, sophomore defenseman Rachel Grampp (Williamsville, N.Y./Buffalo Bison) fired a shot off Tardelli’s right arm to send Elmira into the locker room with a 4-0 advantage.
Just 2:24 into the final period, junior forward Sydney Fischer (Irma, Alberta/Irma) made it a 5-0 contest. Elmira outshot the Bears 12-6 in the third period.
Tardelli finished with 23 saves, while Soaring Eagles sophomore goalie Kelcey Crawford (Purcellville, Va./Proctor Academy) stopped all 15 shots for the shutout. Elmira was 0-for-4 on the power play and Potsdam was 0-for-2.
The teams go at it again tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m.
