College Hockey Stats Box Score
 
Pine Valley, NY -- Playing their second consecutive nationally ranked opponent, the No. 2 nationally ranked Elmira College women's ice hockey team (10-1-1) skated away with a 5-3 win over No. 3 Norwich University (9-2-1), giving the Purple and Gold two critical wins over the Cadets in 2014-15. 
 
Elmira's Cassidy Delainey '15 scored a pair of goals to lead Elmira to their 10th victory of the season.  Delainey was EC's only multi-point scorer today as 10 different players logged points in the win. 
 
Norwich jumped out to a 1-0 lead 4:45 into the first period on a goal by Rachel Bellio, who one-timed a shot in the slot on a pass from Maki Shuchuk.  Nicole Goebel was also credited with an assist on the goal as her steal in Elmira's defensive zone setup Bellio's goal. 
 
Less than seven minutes later, Cassidy Delainey '15 evened the game at 1-1 as her wrist shot from just inside the blue line beat Norwich goalie Loren Carrier in the lower left corner. Delainey's goal was a result of great pressure on the forecheck as Elmira forced a turnover in Norwich's defensive zone, which eventually setup the EC goal.  Erin Kishoni '18 picked up an assist on Delainey's goal.
 
The game remained tied for nearly five minutes until Kahnekaró:roks McComber put the Cadets back on top 2-1. However, Norwich' one-goal stood for less than one minute as Delainey scored her second goal of the evening on a power-play opportunity, tying things at 2-2 with 3:01 to play in the first period.  Brooke Wilgosh '15 was credited with an assist on the goal as her initial shot from the point was redirected by Delainey for the score.
 
Delainey's goal would hold up through the end of the first period as the game remained tied at 2-2 entering the first intermission. 
 
In the second period, Elmira wasted little time to claim their first lead of the game as Johanna Eidensten '17 hooked up with countrywoman Olivia Nystrom '16 to put the Soaring Eagles ahead 3-2 at the 2:24 mark. Eidensten began the scoring play by creating a turnover in Norwich's offensive zone, stealing the puck and dumping it to Nystrom.  From there, Nystrom carried the puck towards goal before dishing it to Eidensten in the slot for a one-timer that found its way into the upper left corner of the net for the score.
 
Norwich answered with a goal of their own at the 10:18 mark of the period on a Liz Gemmeti goal, her first goal of the season, evening the game at 3-3. 
 
Ashton Hogan '15 matched Gemmeti's goal with 4:50 to play in the period to put Elmira back on top, 4-3.  Hogan's goal was setup by a long pass up ice from Phoebe Piku '16, whose pass found Meghan Fonfara '18 in the neutral zone.  Fonfara would tip the puck, while falling to the ice, to Hogan who would go on to beat the Norwich goalie one-on-one for the score.  Hogan's goal would be the final one of the third period as EC skated into the final break with a one-goal lead.
 
The third period may have been the best one defensively for the Soaring Eagles as they put a clamp on Norwich's offense, limiting the Cadets to just three shots on goal in the period.  Elmira's concentrated defensive effort proved to be key as the Soaring Eagles were able to keep the Cadets out of their offensive zone for most of the period as the majority of the third was played in EC's offensive zone.
 
In a desperate attempt to even today's game, Norwich pulled their goalie with 24 seconds remaining in the game but the move backfired as Ashley Ryan '15 scored an empty netter with 11 seconds left in the game to seal Elmira's 5-3 victory.
 
EC starting netminder, Kyle Nelson '17 picked up her first win of the New Year as she made 16 saves in 60 minutes of action to improve to 4-1-1 on the year.  Opposing goalie, Loren Carrier, came up with 24 saves as her record drops to 2-2-0. 
 
Elmira will look to continue their superb play next weekend as the Soaring Eagles travel to Aston, PA to take on ECAC West opponent, Neumann University.  The first of two games is scheduled for Friday, January 16th at 7:00 p.m.