PINE VALLEY, N.Y — For the third consecutive year, the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Pat Thompson Trophy will reside in Elmira, New York, as the Elmira College women’s ice hockey team defeated Manhattanville College, 5-3, in the conference tournament title game. Elmira erased a two-goal second-period deficit and scored four unanswered goals to secure the tournament title. With the win, the Soaring Eagles earn an automatic bid into the 2020 NCAA Division III Championships.
Jess Adams ’21 fueled Elmira’s comeback bid with a hat-trick effort. Adams scored the game-opening goal, before scoring the game-tying goal and a power-play tally to give Elmira a two-goal cushion. The three-goal effort resulted in Adams being selected as the UCHC Tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Emma Crocker ’21 was Elmira’s other multi-point producer with two points. Crocker assisted on EC’s power-play tally and scored the eventual game-winning goal in the third frame.
Kelly Matthews ’23, Bella Hanson ’21, Morgan Mordini ’22, Tristen Tolan ’21, Ariella Haas ’22 and Kiana Melvin ’20 all finished with one point each. Matthews was the lone goal scorer, a marker that came on the power play at the tail end of the second stanza, while the other five skaters were all credited with assists.
In net, Elizabeth Hanson ’21 made 12 saves, including a seven-save effort in the second period to secure the victory. With the win, Hanson improved to 15-2-1 on the year.
Elmira overwhelmed the Manhattanville defense in the opening 20 minutes of action with a 15-1 advantage in shots on goal. However, Lena Flores proved to be up for the challenge and denied the Soaring Eagles on all 15 attempts to keep the contest level at 0-0.
Following a scoreless first period, a five-goal second period ensued that saw the Valiants take a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
Adams got things started early in the second period with a goal at 1:31, her first of three on the day. A long pass from Melvin along the left-side boards connected with Adams, who beat one defender, before deking Flores and burying the shot from just outside the crease for the game-opening goal.
Amanda Sabia answered for the Valiants at 5:44 to tie the game at 1-1. A failed clear attempt by Elmira set up the goal, as Zoey Pellowitz intercepted the clearance at the point before passing it to Ali Howard for a one-time slap shot from the blue line. Her shot was redirected by Sabia in the slot and trickled into the right post for the goal.
Manhattanville claimed its first lead of the game at 9:34 thanks to an offensive-zone faceoff win by Janet Xu. Xu’s faceoff win went directly to Howard in the slot, where she one-timed it past Hanson on the glove-side for the go-ahead goal.
Sabia scored her second goal of the period at 11:27 to give the visitors a 3-1 lead. Passes from Tianna Lopes and Taylor Ham sent Sabia into the Elmira d-zone, where she circled in the slot before snapping a wrist shot that went bar-down for the goal.
Manhattanville was assessed a pair of infractions at the tail end of the second period, and the Valiants nearly killed both penalties, but EC’s Matthews found the back of the net with just 13 seconds left on the power play. Haas began the play with a pass to Hanson at the point, where she fired a shot that Matthews re-directed past Flores for the goal.
Trailing by a goal in the third period, Elmira ramped up the pressure on offense and on the forecheck, an effort that led to a 16-4 advantage in shots on goal. The lopsided shot count proved to be vital, as Elmira scored a trio of unanswered goals in the third period to clinch the title.
Elmira equalized at 5:50 on a goal by Adams, her second of the afternoon. A shot by Tolan caromed off of the end boards and towards the left post, where Adams rushed in and buried the rebound for the goal.
Crocker, the 2020 UCHC Player of the Year, put the Purple and Gold out in front at 13:14 with a goal that sent the pro-Elmira crowd into a frenzy. Following a turnover at center ice, Crocker raced into the Manhattanville d-zone and whipped a hard-lining shot that beat Flores glove-side for the go-ahead goal.
A tripping penalty on Manhattanville’s Holly Meredith set up Elmira’s final goal, as Adams completed the hat trick with a tally at 14:44. Adams was opportunistic once again, following up on a shot from Crocker that was initially saved. Crocker’s shot was deflected by Flores high into the air but Adams was camped out on the right post and backhanded the puck past the sprawled out Valiant goalie for the insurance goal.
News and Notes
Elmira claimed its third consecutive UCHC Championship.
EC will make its seventh consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championships.
EC heads into the NCAA Championships with a 22-4-2 overall record.
The Soaring Eagles finished over 20 wins for the third consecutive season.
Adams was named the UCHC Tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Crocker and Melvin were selected to the UCHC All-Tournament Team.
Adams logged her third hat trick of the 2019-20 season.
Crocker scored her team-leading 21st goal of the season.
Crocker produced her sixth game-winning goal of the year, a team high.
Up Next
Elmira punched its ticket to the 2020 NCAA Division III Championships. The selection show is set for Monday, March 9, at 10:00 a.m. (EST), at which point the Soaring Eagles will find out who they will face in the national tournament. The first round of action is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, and the quarterfinals are set for Saturday, March 14. Start times and locations will be announced during the selection show. For more information on the selection show and selection process, please click here.
