PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – For the second-straight season the Plattsburgh State women's hockey team will serve as the host for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's West Tournament with semifinal games beginning Saturday at the Stafford Ice Arena. The 2014 ECAC Women's West Tournament Champion will be crowned on Sunday at 3 p.m. with the winner earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Tournament Schedule
Saturday, March 8 – Semifinals
No. 1 Plattsburgh State vs. No. 4 Utica College – 3:30 p.m.
No. 2 Elmira vs. No. 3 Oswego State – 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 9
ECAC Women's West Championship Game – 3 p.m.
Ticket Information
$5 General Admission
$3 College Students with ID
* The first 300 Plattsburgh State students with valid ID will be admitted for free each day of the tournament.
Tickets can be purchased at the Field House Box Office beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Multimedia Links
Fans that are unable to attend this weekend's tournament can follow all the action with a variety of multimedia links. Live video and live stats will be available for all three games while live audio will be provided for Plattsburgh State games only.
Live Video – Courtesy of the Northeast Sports Network
Live Stats
Live Audio – Courtesy of WIRY 1340AM
No. 1 Plattsburgh State Cardinals
Plattsburgh State received the top seed in this weekend's tournament by virtue of a coin flip after ending the regular season tied with Elmira. The Cardinals enter the weekend with a 23-1-1 overall record and a 15-1-0 mark in league play. Shannon Stewart and Bridget Balisy lead the Cardinals' offense with 30 points apiece. Stewart brings a team-high 14 goals into the postseason while senior defenseman Allison Era has a team-leading 19 assists. The Cardinals will also look for the line of Ali Vakos, Giovanna Senese and Chelsea VanGlahn to continue their strong play as the trio has combined for 80 points.
While Plattsburgh State possesses a number of offensive weapons, the Cardinals comes into the postseason with the nation's top defense. Goals have been hard to come by for opponents as the Plattsburgh State defense has allowed just 12 goals in 25 games. ECAC Women's West Player of the Year Sydney Aveson has contributed to the success of the Cardinals' defense, posting a 17-1-1 record with 13 shutouts. Aveson comes into the weekend with a 0.37 goals-against average and a .980 save percentage.
No. 2 Elmira Soaring Eagles
After sharing the ECAC Women's West regular season crown with the Cardinals, Elmira enters the tournament as the second seed due to the outcome of the coin flip. The Soaring Eagles come to Plattsburgh with a 20-4-1 overall mark and a 15-1-0 record in the ECAC West. Elmira boasts the league's top scorer in junior forward Ashley Ryan with 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points. Senior forward Tanis Lamoureux ranks second in team scoring with 35 points while junior Ashton Hogan leads the team with eight power-play goals.
The Soaring Eagles have held opponents to an average of 1.32 goals per game with a defense led by ECAC Women's West Defensive Player of the Year Brooke Wilgosh. In addition to her work on the blue line, Wilgosh has tallied seven goals and 19 assists. Senior goaltender Lisa Marshall has worked the majority of minutes in the Elmira net, owning a 15-3-1 record with a 1.15 goals-against average.
No. 3 Oswego State Lakers
Oswego State earned its spot in the semifinals after rallying to defeat No. 6 seed Buffalo State, 3-1, in the ECAC Women's West Quarterfinals last Saturday. The Lakers are in the midst of a historic season, setting a new program record with 17 wins thus far. Oswego State finished the regular season with a 10-5-1 record against conference opponents and enters Saturday's game with a 17-8-1 overall record.
Offensively, the Lakers are led by senior forward Olivia Boersen with 12 assists and 18 points while fellow senior Melissa Seamont has tallied a team-high 11 goals and five game-winning goals. While the offensive is good for 2.54 goals per game, Oswego's defense has been solid all season, holding opponents to 1.27 goals per game. The Lakers boast a trio of goaltenders in Catherine Cote, Tori Travato and Bridget Smith, with all three maintaining a goals-against average of 1.66 or less.
No. 4 Utica Pioneers
The Utica Pioneers return to the ECAC Women's West Semifinals after skating to a 4-1 win over fifth-seeded Potsdam, 4-1, in the ECAC Women's West Quarterfinals last Sunday. Utica is no stranger to the ECAC Women's West Tournament as the Pioneers are making their 12th postseason appearance in the program's 13-year history.
The Pioneers are led by senior forward Megan Myers, who ranks second in the league with 19 goals and 39 points. Forward Gabrielle Schnepp has also made an immediate impact in her rookie season with 15 goals, 27 points and a team-leading five power-play goals. Utica has outscored its opponents, 84-62, in 26 games. Senior goaltender Jennifer Hamel is 13-8-1 on the year with a 2.46 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. Hamels is tied for the Pioneers' program record in career wins (35).
