PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 3 Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team won a defensive battle against Williams College on Saturday afternoon, shutting out the Ephs 1-0 at home. Lilla Nease (Lake Forest, Calif./Anaheim Lady Ducks) picked up her sixth shutout of the season with 31 saves in net, while Emily Kasprzak (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite) scored the game's only goal.

The Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team is currently ranked No. 3 in the USCHO.com Division III Top-15 poll, while Williams is receiving votes.

Kasprzak scored the game's lone goal in the second period, as Taya Balfour (Moorestown, N.J./Philadelphia Jr. Flyers) picked up the assist. Nease picked up her 12^th win of the year and increased her single-season career high to six, all while dropping her goals-against average to .97. Adriana Urban (Monroe, N.J./Hoosac School) had a career-best six blocks, helping the Plattsburgh defensive effort towards the shutout.

Overall, the Cards put 20 shots on goal while the Ephs put up 31 over the 60 minutes of action, and each team went scoreless on power play opportunities.

Plattsburgh State moves to 16-2-1 on the season with the victory and will next travel to SUNY Canton on Friday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. Williams falls to 7-8-2 and will travel to Trinity (Ct.) in their next matchup on Friday, Feb. 2.

Saturday afternoon's action was a tough defensive affair, as each team battled hard throughout the 60 minutes of action on the ice. In an evenly played game, the teams were deadlocked at six shots on goal apiece after 20 minutes, as the defensive tone for the game was set early on
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Plattsburgh broke the scoreless tie just over five minutes into the second period of action, as the opportunity began with Balfour playing a pass to Kasprzak along the back-boards. The first-year forward pulled the puck out from behind the goal line and went for a wrap-around score that was initially saved, but her second attempt found its way past the goaltender for the score on the doorstep. The goal gave Kasprzak her fourth of the year and her second game-winner of her rookie campaign.

Each team continued to grind with Plattsburgh holding a slim one-goal lead throughout the remainder of play. With the lead, the Cardinals continually put their body on the line, blocking 17 shots to aid Nease's effort.

In the net, Nease continued to play fantastic through the final bit of action in the second and third periods, making 25 of her 31 saves in the final 40 minutes. The graduate student also made several stops in tough situations, standings tall throughout the game to keep Plattsburgh in the lead. Over the final minutes, Nease and the defense were tested, as the Ephs were able to get their goalie off the ice for well over a minute, putting the team on the advantage for the final moments. A Cardinal penalty with seven seconds left set up another strong scoring chance for Williams, but Nease stopped what would be their final shot of the game with a great save with her right blocker, turning away the shot as time expired.

Erin Pye took the loss for the Ephs in net, stopping 19 saves in just over 58 minutes of play.