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Date: Saturday, March 10, 2018
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, N.Y. 
Time: 3:00 p.m. EST
 
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- With the regular season under wraps and the conference champions crowned, it is now time to turn our attention to the 2018 NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Championship. By virtue of earning one of three at-large bids into this season's national tournament, the Soaring Eagles will host Adrian College in a first-round contest on Saturday, March 10, at 3:00 p.m. at the Murray Athletic Center.

EC punched its ticket to the big dance by finishing 2017-18 with one of the most impressive performances in program history. Elmira went an outstanding 23-2-2 overall and for the first time since the 2014-15 campaign the Purple and Gold went undefeated in conference play (15-0-1). The Soaring Eagles' dominance in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) was on full display at the league tournament on Saturday and Sunday, March 3-4, at the Murray Athletic Center. EC soared over its competition by defeating Utica College in quarterfinals, 7-1, before halting Stevenson University's 16-game unbeaten streak with a 5-0 win in the title game.

Similarly to EC, the Bulldogs enter the NCAA Championship riding a long win streak. Adrian has won its last 13 games, which included a 4-3 overtime victory over Lake Forest College on Saturday, March 3, to earn its third consecutive Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) Slaats Cup Championship. As a result of this lengthy streak, the Bulldogs skate into Saturday's contest with a 22-5-1 overall record.

Whether it is by chance or by fate, Elmira and Adrian will battle in the first round of the NCAA Championship for the third consecutive season. Despite not meeting for the first time until 2015-16, the Soaring Eagles and Bulldogs have formed quite the rivalry. The reason this feud has become so contentious so quickly is because all five encounters have come in a tournament atmosphere.

In addition to the two aforementioned meetings in the NCAA Championship First Round, EC and Adrian have met three times at the always-competitive East-West Hockey Classic in Northfield, Vermont. The Bulldogs own a slight lead in the all-time series with three victories over the Purple and Gold, but Elmira is the most recent winner after taking this season's matchup at the East-West Hockey Classic by a 5-1 final score on January 7.
 
Elmira at a Glance
A key message that this year's Soaring Eagles have lived by was to remain system strong and they have accomplished that goal. Elmira has been one of the most well-balanced teams in the country this season, as it ranks second in both scoring offense  (5.19 gpg) and scoring defense (1.00 gpg). UCHC Player of the Year Sarah Hughson '18 has been in command of this high-powered offense, as she is fifth in the country in goals (0.96) and eighth in points per game (1.70). Hughson's 26 goals are the fifth-highest single-season total in program history and her 46 points are the ninth-most. Junior Katie Granato '19 also had a standout campaign with her first career 40-point season (22g-18a).  

On defense, senior Kelcey Crawford '18 had her strongest statistical season to date, as she was relied upon to play 87.5 percent of Elmira's minutes in goal this season. The Purcellville, Virginia, native set new career highs across the board with 1426:24 minutes, 529 saves, a 1.05 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage, the latter of which is on pace to set a new single-season program record. Crawford, the UCHC Goaltender of the Year, is fourth in the nation in both goals-against average and save percentage and is one of only two goalies to eclipse 20 wins this year.
 
Adrian at a Glance
To many, the 2017-18 season may seem like a down year for the defending NCAA Tournament runner-up, but Adrian would beg to differ. The Bulldogs have seen quite the transformation from last season's record-setting team. With the graduation of 10 seniors, including reigning U.S. College Hockey Online Division III Women's Player of the Year Kristin Lewicki, Head Coach Chad Davis had to look to underclassmen to fill that void.    

Freshman goaltender Kate Turner stepped up in a huge way as a rookie, as she was credited with 21 of Adrian's 22 wins this season after starting 26 of the team's 28 games. Nationally, the product of Houston, Texas, is first in shutouts (11), third in goals-against average (1.00) and eighth in save percentage (.945), in addition to joining Crawford as the only two goalies in the country to tally 20-plus victories. Turner and the Bulldog defense was a strong point of the team, as Adrian allowed opponents to score just 1.07 goals per game, the third-lowest scoring average in the country. Sophomore defender Kelly O'Sullivan leads the Bulldogs' scoring offense (4.14 gpg), which ranks seventh in DIII, with 30 points this season (7g-23a). Of the upperclassmen, senior forward Rose Krasofsky paces the team with 16 goals.
 
All-Conference Honorees
Elmira dominated the first-ever edition of the UCHC All-Conference awards, as 10 Soaring Eagles garnered a spot on an All-Conference team and three were given major honors. As for the major awards, Hughson was named the UCHC Player of the Year, Crawford was tabbed as the Goaltender of the Year and Rachel Grampp '18 was named the Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to Hughson, Crawford and Grampp, Granato was also named an All-UCHC First Teamer. Rounding out Elmira's All-Conference selections were Second Teamer Kristin Chivers '19, Honorable Mention members Meg Lahey '19, Shannon Strawinski '19 and Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18, and All-Rookie skaters Devyn Gilman '21 and Emma Crocker '21.
 
A year removed from sweeping the NCHA major awards, Adrian walked away with two in 2018. After her outstanding rookie campaign, Turner was tabbed as the conference's Freshman of the Year, while Head Coach Chad Davis earned his fourth consecutive Coach of the Year accolade. In addition to receiving a pair of major honors, six Bulldogs were named to the NCHA All-Conference Team - Turner, O'Sullivan, Olivia Fox, Tory Harshman and Kristi Zink. Turner and Brooke Schembri represented Adrian on the All-Freshman Team.
 
NCAA Tournament History
Elmira is making its 14th NCAA Division III Tournament appearance this season, three of which have resulted in national titles for the Soaring Eagles. Adrian made its deepest run in the NCAA Championship last season, falling in the 2017 title game by a heart-breaking 4-3 final score to four-time defending champion Plattsburgh State.
 
Elmira Skaters in NCAA Tournament
Lippiatt Durnell (0g-6a-6p)
Evangelous (3g-2a-5p)
Jerolman (3g-2a-5p)
Granato (2g-1a-3p)
Grampp (1g-2a-3p)
Fonfara (1g-1a-2p)
Chivers (0g-2a-2p)
Hughson (1g-0a-1p)
Strawinski (0g-1a-1p)
Melvin (0g-1a-1p)
 
Elmira Goaltenders in NCAA Tournament
Crawford: 0-1-0 Record
 
Adrian Skaters in NCAA Tournament
O'Sullivan (0g-2a-2p)
Zink (0g-2a-2p)
Mitter (1g-0a-1p)
Krasofsky (0g-1a-1p)
 
Adrian Goaltenders in NCAA Tournament
n/a
 
Looking Ahead
The winner of Saturday's first-round game will advance to the final site of the NCAA Division III Championship. The semifinal round of the event will take place on Friday, March 16, and a champion will be crowned the following day. The location of the final site will be determined following this weekend's first-round action.  
 
For additional information on Saturday's NCAA Division III Tournament First Round Game, click here.