Score: #4/5 Adrian College 3, #1/3 Elmira College 2 (OT)
Records: Adrian (23-4-2), Elmira (24-3-1)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, N.Y.
 
PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- It took over 77 minutes of hockey to determine a winner in the Quarterfinals of the 2019 NCAA Division III Championship, as Adrian College edged Elmira College women's ice hockey, 3-2, in overtime. With the win, Adrian advances to next weekend's NCAA final four, while the Soaring Eagles end the year with a 24-3-1 record.
 
Elmira controlled the tempo of this afternoon's quarterfinal game, outshooting the Bulldogs 52-28. Special teams were also a key factor, as both of Elmira's goals came on the power play (2-for-6), while Adrian tallied once with the extra skater (1-for-2).
 
Adrian set the tone early in today's quarterfinal by scoring twice in the opening period, including a game-opening goal from Kortney Diaz just 3:35 into the period. Diaz, who scored on the power play, collected a loose puck on the left post following an initial save by EC's Stephanie Martin '22 and buried the shot into the open netting. Jacqueline White and Maggie Mitter were credited with assists on the Diaz goal.
 
Jessica VonRuden made it a 2-0 Adrian lead on a snipe from a few strides inside the blue line. Passes from Adrian's d-zone by Mitter and Julia Barrett set up the scoring play, as VonRuden raced into the offensive zone before finding the top left corner of the net for the goal at 15:31. The VonRuden tally sent the Bulldogs into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.
 
A 15-4 advantage in shots on goal in the second period set the stage for an Elmira rally, as the Soaring Eagles tallied twice on the power play to level the contest at 2-2.
 
Senior blueliner Kristin Chivers '19 began the comeback effort with a snipe from the point at 12:22. Passes around the umbrella by Maddy Jerolman '19 and Ariella Haas '22 set Chivers up for a slapper from the point, where she weaved the puck through several bodies and past Adrian's Denisa Jandova for the goal.
 
With the second stanza coming to a close, Elmira's Jerolman knotted the score at 2-2 with her 17th goal of the year. After a missed shot by Meg Lahey '19, Jerolman collected the puck, circled around the left faceoff dot and hurled a wrist shot over the shoulder of Jandova for the tally with just 26 tics left on the clock.
 
EC held a 9-4 advantage in shots in the third frame, but both goalies came up with clutch saves in big moments to keep the opposing offensive units off of the scoreboard, as today's NCAA Quarterfinal went into overtime.
 
Unlike the previous three periods, Adrian was much more aggressive on offense, as the shots on goal count stood at 15-13 in favor of the Elmira women. However, the 13th and final shot of the overtime session proved disastrous for the Purple and Gold, as Jessica VonRuden punched in the game-winning goal with 2:24 to play.
 
On the rush, a pass along the boards by Mitter sent Taylor Henthorne into the offensive zone where she laced a wrist shot that missed wide but drew EC's Martin out of the crease. Henthorne's shot caromed off of the boards and back into the front of the net, where VonRuden rushed in and poked the puck into the open net for the game-winning goal.
 
News and Notes

• Elmira's season comes to a close with a 24-3-1 overall record.
• It marked the second straight season EC has won 24 games or more.
• Adrian advances to the NCAA Division III Championship final four site.
• EC and Adrian met for the seventh time and the fourth straight in the NCAA Tournament.
• Elmira's senior class – Jerolman, Chivers, Lahey, Maddie Evangelous '19, Katie Granato '19 and Shannon Strawinski '19 – played in the final game of their EC careers.
• The senior class exits with 90-17-8 overall record with four trips to the NCAA Tournament.
• Jerolman logged two points on one power-play goal and one assist.
• Jerolman finishes her career ranked 10th in EC history in points (109).
• Jerolman's 17 goals and 22 assists are career bests.
• Lahey ends the year as EC's leader in assists (27), a career high for the senior defender.
• Martin finished with 25 saves in today's contest and ends her rookie year with a 19-2-1 record.