ROCHESTER, N.Y.-William Smith College sophomore goalie Amanda Aalto made a career-high 50 saves and first-year Julianna Gong had three points as the Herons defeated Nazareth 3-1 in a United Collegiate Hockey Conference quarterfinal at Bill Gray’s IcePlex this afternoon. With the win, William Smith is 18-8-0 this season. The 18 wins match the Herons’ single-season record.
Gong scored twice and had an assist for William Smith. Fellow first-year Mia LaPlante added a goal and an assist in the victory.
Mikaila Rubin scored for the Golden Flyers (18-5-3). Adrianna Brehm made 18 saves in just under 59 minutes of work.
Gong opened the scoring at the 10:28 mark of the first period. She one-timed a crossing pass from LaPlante past Brehm for her 14th goal of the season. Four minutes later, Gong returned the favor, setting up LaPlante’s 11th goal of the season. LaPlante wristed a shot from the slot into the back of the net.
Makenna Wiljanen had Nazareth’s best scoring chance of the first period. She blasted a shot from the point through traffic, but Aalto made the save.
Nazareth came out of the first intermission and took control of the game, outshooting William Smith 21-4 in the second period. At the 1:15 mark of the period, Rubin made it a one-goal game with her second goal of the season. She snapped a shot from the right faceoff circle past Aalto. Nikolle Van Stralen and Stephanie Kubis were credited with assists on the goal. The Golden Flyers pressed for the equalizer but were unable to sneak a shot past Aalto. Jessica Kolberg fired a shot from the point off the left goal post. With five minutes left in the period, Hailey Redders had a shot stopped by Aalto’s right leg pad.
The Golden Flyers continued to apply pressure in the offensive zone in the third period, but Aalto was up to the task, stopping all 18 shots she faced in the frame. Just over a minute into the period, Abbey Luth wristed a shot on cage that was gloved by Aalto. With 1:23 left in regulation, Nazareth lifted Brehm in favor of the extra attacker. The Golden Flyers could only muster one shot with the extra skater.
Gong iced the game for William Smith with an empty net goal with 15 seconds remaining in regulation. Her clearing attempt trickled the length of the rink into the vacant cage. It was her 15th goal of the season.
Nazareth finished the game with a 51-21 edge in shots on goal. The Golden Flyers were 0-5 on the power play and the Herons were 0-2 with the extra attacker.
This is the second straight year that William Smith has ended Nazareth’s season in the UCHC tournament after the Golden Flyers took the regular season series.
The Herons will be back in action next weekend, March 7-8, for the semifinal round of the UCHC tournament. Location and time of game was not known at the time of publication.
