PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 2/2 Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey team capped a weekend Northeast Women’s Hockey League (NEWHL) sweep of Oswego State on Sunday afternoon at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena with its second shutout in as many regular-season games, as the Cardinals prevailed 4-0 over the Lakers.
Plattsburgh State is ranked at No. 2 in both the USCHO.com Women’s Division III Top-10 Poll and the D3hockey.com Women’s Top-10 Poll.
The Cardinals posted a 41-23 edge in shots and went 1-for-3 on the power play. Junior forward Courtney Moriarty (Estero, Fla./Northfield Mount Hermon) once again netted two goals to take over the NEWHL lead in the statistical category with eight. She also moved into a tie for first in NCAA Division III in power-play goals with five. Senior forward Melissa Sheeran (Schaghticoke, N.Y./Millbrook School) picked up an assist in the contest and took over sole possession of the Division III lead in that statistical category with 13 for the season.
Plattsburgh State rises to 5-1-0 overall (4-0-0 NEWHL) with the win and next hosts Adrian College in a rematch of last year’s national championship game to open up the UNO Classic on Saturday, Nov. 25, at 3 p.m. Oswego slips to 3-4-0 (1-3-0 NEWHL) with the loss and visits Williams College next on Saturday, Nov. 25, at 7 p.m.
Moriarty’s power-play goal with 14:08 gone in the first period proved to be the eventual game-winner, as she capitalized on a rebound. Sheeran slid the puck to freshman defenseman Erin McArdle (Macomb, Mich./Detroit Belle Tire), who took a shot from the point that was blocked. Moriarty was waiting at the bottom of the right face-off circle and hammered the puck home to give the Cardinals the 1-0 lead.
McArdle buried her first career goal unassisted just 2:05 later, intercepting a Laker clearance along the boards and uncorking a shot from the point. Her shot deflected off an Oswego student-athlete and beat the Laker netminder glove side.
Moriarty potted her second goal of the game 3:41 into the second period thanks to a long pass from freshman forward Emma Killeen (Watertown, Conn./The Gunnery). Killeen sent a puck from the Cardinals’ defensive zone up to Moriarty, who was just outside Plattsburgh State’s offensive zone. With a one-on-one opportunity with the Oswego goaltender, she sent a shot through the five hole to hand the Cardinals a 3-0 edge. Killeen’s assist marked the first point of her career in her first regular-season appearance.
Finally, sophomore forward Sarah Wolf (Fairport, N.Y./Boston Shamrocks Elite) scored the contest’s final goal with 16:46 elapsed in the second period. Junior forward Ashley Songin (Springville, N.Y./Nichols School) passed to junior forward Karen Hudson (Sykesville, Md./Washington Pride) in the Cardinals’ defensive zone, and Hudson played the puck off the left boards to gain separation from a Laker defenseman. She sent a centering pass in to Wolf, who beat the goalie blocker side from the slot and slid after the finish. Hudson’s assist was her first of the season.
Senior goaltender Brooke Wolejko (South Windsor, Conn./St. Lawrence University) posted her second shutout of the year with a 23-save effort, while Oswego’s sophomore goaltender Amber Samonek sustained the loss, making 37 stops.
