College Hockey Stats Box Score
 
Pine Valley, NY -- For the first time in 18 games, the No. 1 Elmira College women's ice hockey team tasted defeat, as the Soaring Eagles fell in the ECAC West Championship game to No. 2 Plattsburgh State, 4-0.  With the win, Plattsburgh earns the automatic bid to this year's NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Tournament, while the Soaring Eagles will be hoping for an at-large bid.  The NCAA will announce the tournament field, along with the seedings, tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.
 
Today's game marked the first time this season the Soaring Eagles, the nation's second-highest scoring offense, had been held without a goal. Additionally, today's game marked the first loss on home ice for Elmira this season. 
 
At the conclusion of today's championship, the ECAC West announced the All-Tournament Team, with three Elmira skaters making the list.  Defensemen Brooke Wilgosh '15 and Phoebe Piku '16 were named to the All-Tournament Team as was the ECAC West Conference Player of the Year, Ashley Ryan '15. 
 
Elmira spent most of the first period in their own defensive end, as Plattsburgh's dump and chase style of play, coupled with an aggressive forecheck, kept the Soaring Eagles on their heels. Adding to Elmira's headache in the early going was the three penalties they took in the first 12 minutes, giving the nation's fifth best power-play unit three opportunities, one of which they would convert on to take a 1-0 lead. 
 
Plattsburgh's Giovanna Senese made the most of her opportunity in a scrum in front of the Elmira net, as she punched-in the game's opening goal at the 12:16 mark.  The Cardinals would go on to put 13 shots on goal in the period, seven of which came on their three power-play chances. However, with just five seconds remaining in the period, Senese was called for a minor hooking penalty, giving Elmira, the nation's top scoring power-play unit, a man-up opportunity to open the second period. 
 
Plattsburgh would take another penalty in the first 39 seconds of the second period, giving Elmira a 5-on-3 power-play chance.  It looked as though the additional penalty would be costly for the Cardinals at the 1:00 mark, when Ashton Hogan '15 tipped a shot that looked destined for the left side of the netting.  Unfortunately, Hogan's shot skimmed past the left side of the post, keeping Plattsburgh's one-goal lead intact.
 
Elmira had another golden opportunity to score at the 9:42 mark, as Hogan fired a shot through traffic, only to see the shot carom off the crossbar.  Hogan's shot looked as though it may have hit the twine, but the on-ice official immediately signaled no goal, as the Soaring Eagles failed to convert on either power-play opportunities.
 
Then, with about nine minutes to play, Elmira once again had a chance to even today's game, this time on a two-on-one rush.  A misplayed puck by Plattsburgh's Alyssa Parke created the odd-man rush with Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18 and Ashley Ryan '15 leading the charge.  On the rush, Durnell carried the puck into the slot before sending a pass over the Ryan on the right side of the ice, who immediately sent it back to Durnell for the one-timer.  Unfortunately, Plattsburgh's Camille Leonard would come up with a huge save, keeping the Cardinals out in front, 1-0.
 
Elmira's missed opportunities, along with another Plattsburgh power-play chance, proved to be costly as Senese scored her second power-play goal of the evening at the 17:17 mark of the period, giving Plattsburgh a 2-0 lead.  Senese's goal was setup by a deceptive pass from the point by Alyssa Parke, who found Senese wide open just outside the right side of the crease, allowing her to redirect the pass into the net for the score.  The Plattsburgh goal would be the final one of the period as the Cardinals took a 2-0 lead into the final intermission.
 
The Soaring Eagles eyed a comeback in the third, but Plattsburgh's stifling defense limited Elmira to just four shots on goal.  Plattsburgh would however score another two goals, one of which was scored on an empty net, to seal a 4-0 win and their third consecutive ECAC West Conference Championship. 
 
Following today's loss, Elmira will wait for Monday morning's 10:00 a.m. NCAA Selection Show to see if they will receive an at-large bid into this year's NCAA Tournament.  Elmira ended the regular season as the nation's top ranked team and the top regionally ranked team in the NCAA East Regional Rankings, which should give them a good case to not only receive a bid but to also host an NCAA Quarterfinal game. 
 
2015 ECAC West All-Tournament Team
Most Outstanding Player: Giovanna Senese (Plattsbugh)
F – Ashley Ryan (Elmira)
F – Kayla Meneghin (Plattsburgh)
F – Bridget Balisy (Plattsburgh)
D – Brooke Wilgosh (Elmira)
D – Phoebe Piku (Elmira)
G – Camille Leonard (Plattsburgh)