UTICA, N.Y. – After losing its first game in over a year, the Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team returned to its winning ways, defeating Utica 6-1 Sunday afternoon.
For the second-straight game, the Cardinals would gain an early 1-0 advantage, this time coming from the stick of freshman
Courtney Moriarty on the power play just 2:10 into the game.
Utica would find the equalizer late in the first period when Victoria Pelton beat Plattsburgh State goaltender
Camille Leonard to make it 1-1.
The difference between Saturday and Sunday was that after being outscored 3-0 on Saturday, the Cardinals hung a five spot up in the middle frame on Sunday.
It started with junior defenseman,
Erin Brand notching her fifth of the season on the power play 3:30 into the second.
Kayla Meneghin and
Jordan Lipson would combine for the next four goals as they both scored a pair. Meneghin started the scoring before Lipson would score two straight in less than two minutes, including a power play goal. Meneghin would then comeback and cap the scoring in fancy fashion, scoring a shorthanded goal with 4:22 left in the second.
Neither side would light the lamp in the third period as each team successfully killed the other's lone power play opportunity in the period.
Plattsburgh State finished 3-for-5 on the man advantage while blanking all three Pioneer chances.
Leonard finished the day with 12 saves, only allowing a single goal while Utica goaltender Keira Goin made 16 saves before being relieved by Amanda Lupo after the fifth Cardinal goal. Lupo closed the game with eight saves on nine shots.
With the win, No. 1 Plattsburgh State clinched the top seed in this year's ECAC West postseason tournament and will be rewarded with home ice throughout the playoffs. The Cardinals improve to 23-1-0 and 16-1-0 in the ECACW. Utica currently sits third in the conference at 12-3-1 ECACW and 16-6-1 overall.
The Cardinals will close out their regular season with a road trip against fellow North Country campaign, SUNY Potsdam on Saturday, February 20 at 3 p.m.
