Score: #5 Elmira College 4 – William Smith College 1
Records: Elmira (11-2-2, 9-0-0 ECAC West), William Smith (4-10-2, 1-7-1 ECAC West)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, N.Y.
 
PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- A pair of two point performances by Meghan Fonfara '18 and Johanna Eidensten '17 paced the fifth-ranked Elmira College women's ice hockey team to a 4-1 victory over visiting William Smith College. Fonfara scored a pair of goals, while Eidensten tallied once and assisted on another, to help Elmira maintain its unblemished ECAC West Conference record (9-0-0).
 
Despite a hefty 14-to-4 advantage in shots on goal in the first period, Elmira and William Smith skated into the first intermission deadlocked at 1-1.
 
Sarah Hughson '18 opened the game's scoring 6:22 into the contest with a beautiful tip-in from just outside of the crease to give the Soaring Eagles a 1-0 lead. Hughson redirected a shot from the point by Kristin Chivers '19, who received a pass from Shannon Strawinski '19 just before sending the puck towards the cage. Chivers and Strawinski were both credited with assists on the game-opening goal.
 
Elmira had several chances to extend its lead after the Hughson goal, but instead, the Herons of William Smith capitalized on one of its few chances of the opening 20 minutes. Gina Scibetta cashed in on the Herons' first power-play chance of the night at the 11:47 mark on an assist from Kiley Fester.
 
The goal by Scibetta kept tonight's game knotted at one apiece until the 16:17 mark of the second period, when captain Johanna Eidensten '17 scored on an Elmira power play to put the Soaring Eagles back on top, 2-1. A pair of quick passes at the point by Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18 and Meg Lahey '19 created space in the high slot for Eidensten, who after receiving a pass from Lippiatt Durnell, turned and fired a wrister over the left shoulder of Devon Strachan for the score.
 
Less than two minutes would run off the clock before the Purple and Gold struck for their second tally of the period, this one coming from the blade of Meghan Fonfara '18 to put EC out in front, 3-1. The scoring play began with a pass from Anna Tude '17 along the right-side boards across the ice to Kiana Melvin '20. Melvin collected the puck and launched a shot from the point, which was redirected by Fonfara over the head and glove of Strachan.
 
Elmira's two-goal lead turned into three in the opening minutes of the final frame, as Fonfara registered her second goal of the night. Eidensten set up the play with a timely stick lift and steal in Elmira's offensive zone, taking the puck away from a Heron defender, before dumping a soft pass off to Fonfara in the slot. From there, Fonfara whipped the puck over the glove of Strachan for the goal.
 
Fonfara's second strike of the game put Elmira out in front for good, as the Soaring Eagles marched away with a 4-1 victory.
 
In His Own Words…
Head Coach Tim Crowley on Elmira's victory over William Smith...
"I thought we played a pretty good game system-wise and I thought we controlled the pace of play from the first puck drop. Credit their goaltender, I thought she played pretty well. Once we were able to get some traffic in front of her and create some opportunities from attacking low-to-high, we generated some scoring opportunities and capitalized on them. Lou was able to make a great play to JoJo for the power play and it kind of got things going for us."
 
Coach Crowley's on his message to the team after playing to a 1-1 tie in the first period…
"I went in (to the locker room at the intermission) and the message was, 'We're fine.' I thought we controlled the play and that it was a good first period for us. Credit to them (the Herons) for capitalizing on their power play on a great shot that beat Kelcey."
 
Coach Crowley on Meghan Fonfara's two-goal outing...
"She's had a bit of a hot stick for us as of late, starting in the Norwich tournament; she had a couple of goals there. She's been playing great and deserves the opportunity to play the power play and big minutes for us because she's generating some offense and capitalizing on her scoring opportunities."
 
Coach Crowley on staying undefeated in the conference with a home victory...
"It's two league points for that we need to maintain a lead. For us, it's two points at a time, one game at a time. To have an opportunity to get two points in our rink is a big thing for us and we'll try to prepare as best as we can for them tomorrow."
 
Turning Point
Elmira's large lead in shots meant little to the score line through most of tonight's contest, thanks to a superb defensive effort by William Smith. However, Elmira was finally able to break through on its third power-play opportunity of the night, as Eidensten knocked in the eventual game-winning tally with 3:43 left in the second period. The Soaring Eagle power play has converted on at least one chance in EC's last four games, all of which have resulted in Elmira wins.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Elmira outshot William Smith 41-to-15.
• Both teams went 1-for-4 on the power play.
• EC won the faceoff battle, 29-to-23.
• Fonfara and Eidensten paced Elmira with two points apiece.
• Fonfara scored EC's final two goals of the game.
• Eidensten scored the game-winning goal and assisted on EC's final goal of the evening.
• Hughson scored Elmira's game-opening goal.
• Chivers, Strawinski, Lippiatt Durnell, Lahey and Melvin all picked up assists for Elmira.
• Kelcey Crawford '18 made 14 saves en route to her fifth win of the season.
• Scibetta tallied for William Smith on an assist from Fewster.
• Strachan made 37 saves in 59:32 of work for the Herons.

 
New and Notes

• Elmira remained perfect in ECAC West play with tonight's win (9-0-0).
• The Soaring Eagles remained unbeaten on their home ice this year (5-0-1).
• EC has won four consecutive games, three of which have been against conference opponents.
• Elmira improved to 5-0-0 all-time against William Smith.
• Fonfara's two goals helped Elmira move into a three-way tie for the team lead (8).
• Fonfara produced her fourth multi-goal game of the year.
• Eidensten logged her first multi-point game of the season.
• Lahey and Hughson extended their point streaks to four consecutive games.

 
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles will look to sweep the regular season series with the Herons tomorrow afternoon, when Elmira travels to face William Smith in an ECAC West contest in Geneva, New York. Tomorrow's bout is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m.