HERSHEY, PA. – The Manhattanville College women’s hockey team ran its unbeaten streak to eight games, defeating the Lebanon Valley College Flying Dutchmen 4-0 Saturday, Dec. 1, officially clinching the 2018-19 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championship in the process.
Manhattanville (7-0-1, 5-0-1 UCHC/MAC) scored three second-period goals en route to its sixth straight win, the longest win streak for the program since the 2009-2010 team won seven games in a row.
Senior Nicole Mensi (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Northwood School) and junior Amanda Sabia (Freehold, N.J./The Gunnery) followed up a combined three-goal, three-assist effort in yesterday’s 5-1 win with another goal and assist apiece on Saturday. Senior Morgan Wilm (West Chester, Pa./Millbrook School) and junior Janet Xu (Edmonton, Alta./Ontario Hockey Academy) added a goal each, while junior Brayden James (Denton, Texas/Dallas Stars Elite (EHL)) added two assists.
Xu scored on the first shot of the game from either side just 41 seconds into action off assists from James and senior Ellis Smith (Buffalo, N.Y./Niagara Junior Purple Eagles (WNYAHL)). Wilm made it 2-0 with her first goal of the year 4:30 into the second period after Lebanon Valley (2-7-0, 1-7-0 UCHC, 0-1-0 MAC) goalie Jill Moffatt stopped nine straight shots across the end of the opening period and start of the second.
Sabia added her team-high 10th goal of the year off assists from Mensi and classmate Zoey Pellowitz (Arlington, Va./Washington Pride (JWHL)) just under three minutes later. After six more saves from Moffatt, Mensi added her seventh of the season off assists from James and freshman Holly Meredith (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Vermont Academy).
The Valiants dominated the stat sheet, outshooting the Flying Dutchmen 34-9, including 27-7 over the final two periods. Xu won 10 of 11 face-offs while freshman Ana Tittmann (Salisbury, Conn./Housatonic Valley Regional) won five of seven. Manhattanville’s special teams were outstanding once again, holding Lebanon Valley to just three shots across six power play opportunities. Sophomore goalie Lexi Crites (Middleboro, Mass/Kents Hill School) stopped all nine Flying Dutchmen shots in her first start of the season, posting her first career shutout.
The Valiants return to the ice on the road against the Connecticut College Camels Saturday, Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m.
