PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 6 Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team fell in the Cardinal/Panther Classic Championship game on Sunday evening, as No. 3 Middlebury captured the tournament title with a 4-0 victory. The tournament win marks the fourth for the Panthers in the tournament's 19^th iteration, as it was also the team's first since the 2021-22 season.

The Plattsburgh State Cardinals are currently the No. 6 ranked team in the USCHO.com Division III Top-15 Poll, while Middlebury is ranked at No. 3.

Middlebury sophomore forward Kate Flynn took home Tournament MVP honors, scoring two goals and adding an assist over the two games. Oliva McManus and Sophia Will were also named to the All-Tournament team, along with Plattsburgh's Mattie Norton (Glen Carbon, Ill./St. Louis Lady Blues) and Bridget Orr (Excelsior, Minn./North American Hockey Academy) as well as Endicott's Lily Anderson.

Three goalies rotated duties in the net on Sunday afternoon for the Cardinals, with Chloe Lewis (Monson, Mass./Northwood School) taking the loss and making five saves. Ava Varecka (West Falls, N.Y./Nichols School) made her collegiate debut in the second period, playing all 20 minutes of the stanza and making two saves, while Maddy Stetson (Wasilla, Alaska/Little Caesars) made nine saves in 20 minutes of third-period action in her collegiate debut.

The Cardinals won the shot battle 23-20 while going 0-2 on the advantage. Middlebury scored on their first powerplay of the day, finishing the night 1-2 on the extra-man opportunity.

Plattsburgh State falls to 5-2-1 and next takes on Morrisville in their final game of 2024 on Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. Before the game, the team will honor head coach Kevin Houle for his 500^th win, which he achieved last weekend on Nov. 22 with a 3-1 win over SUNY Canton. Middlebury moves to 7-0 and next hosts No. 8 Utica on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

The first period saw Plattsburgh State come out strong offensively, putting up several shots early as they ended up outshooting the Panthers 12-7 over the first 20 minutes. Middlebury got on the board first, however, 12:07 into the first period, after a fantastic save from Lewis sliding to her left was rebounded and scored by Britt Nawrocki. Five minutes later, Flynn added to the Panther's lead, scoring her second goal of the tournament to give Middlebury a two-goal cushion.

In the second period, Plattsburgh State once again held the shot advantage, 5-3, in a less active period of play. Middlebury added to their lead in the 15^th minute of action, as Oliva Gordon tallied a score to put her team up 3-0.

Stetson put on a good display of goaltending in the third period, as the first-year netminder made nine saves in her first collegiate action. Middlebury added another goal just 6:52 in, however, as Cat Appleyard scored her second goal of the tournament on the powerplay, with Flynn adding an assist and McManus tallying her fourth assist of the Cardinal/Panther Classic.

Will made 23 saves in net for the Panthers, earning the shutout win in goal.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
F – Kate Flynn, Middlebury (MVP)
F – Bridget Orr, Plattsburgh
F – Lily Anderson, Endicott
D – Olivia McManus, Middlebury
D – Mattie Norton, Plattsburgh
G – Sophia Will, Middlebury