College Hockey Stats Box Score
 
Pine Valley, NY -- Fourth year talent Erin Weston '15 scored a pair of goals this afternoon as the No. 2 nationally ranked Elmira College women's ice hockey team (9-1-1) tied No. 4 nationally ranked Middlebury College (5-2-1), 2-2 in overtime.  Middlebury held the advantage in shots, 37-to-28, and would go 0-for-5 on power-play chances while the Soaring Eagles went 1-for-4. 
 
Both teams tested each other through the first period of today's game as both teams put 13 shots on goal.  Middlebury seemed to have the best opportunity to score the game's first goal with 17 seconds left in the period when, on a Panther power play, Allie Aiello had the puck on her stick just a few feet away from Elmira netminder Kyle Nelson '17.  However, Aiello was unable to get enough on the shot as Nelson turned it away to keep the game scoreless entering the first intermission.
 
Middlebury's close scoring encounter was a sign of things to come as the Panthers took a 1-0 lead just 50 seconds into the second period.  The Panther goal was scored by Emily Fluke, who one-timed a shot off of a missed attempt by Hannah Bielawski, beating EC's Nelson on the weak side. 
 
At the 17:12 mark of the second period, Middlebury's Elizabeth Wulf was called for a hooking penalty, giving the Soaring Eagles a power-play opportunity.  Elmira would make good with the extra skater as assistant captain Erin Weston '15 scored her fourth goal of the season, evening the game at 1-1 with 2:40 to play in the period.  The Elmira goal was setup by a sleek cross-ice pass from Ashley Ryan '15 to Weston who beat Middlebury goalie, Madeline Marsh, stick-side for the score.  Brooke Wilgosh '15 was also credited with an assist on the goal.    
 
Weston's goal sent the Purple and Gold into the final intermission tied at 1-1, despite being outshot 13-to-3 in the period.
 
In the third period, Elmira broke the 1-1 tie at the 5:06 mark of the period as Weston scored her second goal of the evening.  Weston's go-ahead goal was created by Rachel Grampp '18, who after stealing the puck in Elmira's defensive zone, began a 3-on-2 odd-man rush with Ryan and Weston.  After carrying the puck out of EC's defensive zone, Grampp dumped the puck to Ryan in the neutral zone, allowing Ryan to lay-off a pass to Weston who would once again beat Middlebury's Marsh for the score.
 
Leading by a single goal, Elmira looked to close the door on Middlebury but great individual efforts by Wulf and Katie Mandigo allowed the Panthers to even the game at 2-2 with 6:41 to play in regulation. In Elmira's defensive zone, Wulf came out of a four-person scrum with the puck and sent it to Mandigo who took it behind EC's net.  From there, Mandigo wrapped around the net and beat Elmira's Nelson far post with the backside of her stick for the score.
 
Wulf's goal would hold up through the final whistle of the third period as the game remained tied at 2-2, forcing an overtime period.  The two teams combined for five shots in overtime, three for Middlebury and two for Elmira, but none of them found the back of the net as the game ended in a tie.
 
Elmira's Nelson made a career-high 35 saves in 65 minutes of action today while her counterpart, Marsh, made 26 stops in 65 minutes as well.  For Nelson, her 35 stops are a team-high by any Elmira College goalie and are also the most since last year's NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal game against Norwich University when former standout Lisa Marshall '14 also made 35 saves.
 
The Soaring Eagles will have an eight-day break from competition as the Elmira women will be in action next on Sunday, January 11th when the Purple and Gold host No. 3 nationally ranked Norwich University.  Game-time is set for 3:00 p.m. at the Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena.