PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The top-ranked and top-seeded Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey team won its fifth straight – seventh overall – Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women’s West Championship title with a 2-1 win against No. 5 and second-seeded Elmira College at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena on Saturday. The Cardinals, now unbeaten in 20 consecutive games, are 25-1-1 on the year and have earned an automatic berth in the upcoming NCAA Division III Tournament. The Soaring Eagles move to 18-5-4 and will await their NCAA Tournament fate. The NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Selection Show airs online Monday at 10 a.m. at http://www.ncaa.com/live/player?vid=2017/2803&date=2017/03/06).
Plattsburgh State juniors Kayla Meneghin (Clifton, N.J./The Gunnery) and Melissa Sheeran (Schaghticoke, N.Y./Millbrook School) both had one goal and one assist, with Sheeran earning tournament most valuable player honors and Meneghin locking up an all-tournament team pick. Sophomore Ashley Songin (Springville, N.Y./Nichols School) provided one assist and was 5-of-10 on faceoffs. Senior Camille Leonard (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Jr. Hornets) stopped 21 shots and was named to the all-tournament team, along with classmate Erin Brand (Long Beach, N.Y./Syracuse) and sophomore Maci Hoskins (Oklahoma City, Okla./Northwood School).
Meneghin upped her career point total to 145 and passed Shannon Stewart ’15 for fourth on the program’s record list. Meneghin also dished her 81st career assist to tie Lynn Taylor ’05 for third in school history. Senior Katelyn Turk (Mississauga, Ontario/Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins) appeared in her 116th career game and is tied for ninth in school annals with Allison Era ’14 and Julie Devereux ’08.
Elmira sophomore Shannon Strawinski scored with help from juniors Sarah Hughson and Louisa Lippiatt Durnell. Junior Kelcey Crawford collected 29 saves and Lippiatt Durnell was named to the all-tournament team.
Plattsburgh State outshot Elmira, 10-3, in the opening period. The Soaring Eagles faced a stingy Cardinal defense as the visitors did not register their first shot on net until 9:36 of the stanza. Meneghin then got the hosts on the board at 16:44. Sheeran fed a short pass to Songin in the slot, Songin’s shot then bounced high on Crawford and Meneghin was there to knock in the loose puck out of the air. Strawinski ripped a right circle hard slapshot than Leonard gobbled up two minutes later.
Elmira turned up the heat in the second period by outshooting Plattsburgh State, 13-9. Strawinski potted the equalizer at 8:43. In the bottom right corner, Lippiatt Durnell shoveled over the puck to Hughson and Hughson passed up to Strawinski, who backhanded a shot into the right side. Five minutes later, Soaring Eagle senior Anna Tude snapped a low shot that Leonard away. Leonard came up big again with 2:32 left in the period by flashing her right pad after a close-in redirection.
Deadlocked at 1-1 after two periods, the Cardinals gained an early power-play chance in the third period. After an initial Plattsburgh State goal was waved off at 2:40, Sheeran stuffed home a rebound inside the left post at 3:06 to propel the hosts to a 2-1 lead. Just past the midway point, Elmira’s best chance to pull even came as senior Johanna Eidenstein saw her left side shot deflect off of Leonard’s glove and carom off of the crossbar before bouncing to the side. The Soaring Eagles were unable to muster an attack after being hindered by two late penalties. Crawford was pulled with 1:02 left and the Cardinals killed the clock with possession in their offensive zone.
ECAC Women’s West Championship
Team Champion
Plattsburgh State
Most Valuable Player
Melissa Sheeran, Plattsburgh State
All-Tournament Team
Erin Brand, Defense, Plattsburgh State
Maci Hoskins, Defense, Plattsburgh State
Louisa Lippiatt Durnell, Forward, Elmira
Camille Leonard, Goalie, Plattsburgh State
Kayla Meneghin, Forward, Plattsburgh State
Melissa Sheeran, Forward, Plattsburgh State
