PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- A 25-save effort from Elizabeth Hanson '21 guided the No 5-ranked Elmira College women's ice hockey team (21-4-0) to a 4-1 win over Stevenson University (12-9-5) in the semifinal round of the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Championships. With the win, the Soaring Eagles advance to the UCHC title game for a third consecutive season.
 
Hanson made 15 saves alone in the second period, one that saw the Mustangs attempt 16 of their 26 shots on goal. The junior netminder followed that performance up with a nine-save effort in the third period to preserve the win, her 14th of the season.
 
Emma Crocker '21 paced the Elmira offense with two points on one goal and one assist. Crocker's assist was registered on today's game-winning tally.
 
Claire Meeder '23, Amanda Zenstein '22 and Jess Adams '21 added goals for the Purple and Gold, while Ronnie Callahan '21, Holley Riva '23, Jenny Heath '22, Morgan Mordini '22, Kiana Melvin '20 and Tristen Tolan '21 were credited with assists. Of Elmira's goal scorers, Meeder produced the game-opening goal, Zenstein's held up as the game-winner, and Adams scored on an empty net.
 
Elmira dominated the first period of action with an aggressive forecheck and a flurry of shots on target. The constant pressure paid off at the 10:30 mark, as rookie Meeder found the back of the net for the game-opening goal. Riva began the scoring play with a pass to Callahan behind the cage, where she centered the puck to Meeder, who put a shot on target. Stevenson's Annie Smyth-Hammond made the initial save, but Meeder followed it up and buried the rebound for the game-opening tally.
 
In the second period, Elmira produced back-to-back goals in a one-minute span midway through the period to go up 3-0. Zenstein tallied first for Elmira, as she fired a shot through traffic that beat Smyth-Hammond through the five-hole at 10:18. Crocker was credited with an assist on the goal, as her faceoff win went directly to Zenstein at the blue line, where she shot and scored.
 
Then at 11:10, Crocker scored her 20th goal of the season to extend the lead to 3-0. Passes from Heath and Mordini set Crocker up in the slot, where she went top shelf for the goal.
 
A slew of Elmira penalties breathed life back into the Mustangs bench, and the extra energy paid off, as Stevenson cashed-in on a power-play chance at 16:17 to trim the Elmira lead to 3-1. Shots from close range were saved by Hanson, but the rebounds leaked out into a scrum, at which point Karly Aguirre punched it in through traffic for the tally.
 
Following the Aguirre goal, Elmira was whistled for a pair of penalties at the tail end of the second stanza and put the Mustangs on a 5-on-3 power play that carried over into the third period. Thankfully, Elmira was able to fend off both extra-skater chances to maintain a 3-1 advantage.
 
However, Elmira gifted Stevenson another 5-on-3 power play with back-to-back penalties at 6:19 and 6:26 in the third period. Elmira's PK unit once again proved to be up for the challenge and kept the Mustangs off of the scoreboard with solid defense and goaltending.
 
Stevenson went on to outshoot Elmira, 9-3, in the third period but was unable to find the back of the net. In an effort to claw back into the contest, Stevenson pulled Smyth-Hammond from goal, which turned into EC's Adams scoring an empty-netter at 18:14. The goal from Adams all but sealed a 4-1 victory.
 
News and Notes

• Elmira advances to its third consecutive UCHC Tournament title game.
• The Soaring Eagles improved to 2-0-0 this season against Stevenson.
• Elmira held a 29-26 lead in shots on goal.
• Elmira was 0-for-2 on the power play, while Stevenson went 1-for-8.
• Crocker paced all skaters with two points (1g-1a).
• Crocker produced her team-leading 20th goal and 22nd assist.
• Zenstein was credited with the game-winning goal.
• Hanson improved to 14-2-0 on the year.
• Hanson moved into sole possession of 10th place for single-season wins (14).

 
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles will eye their third consecutive Pat Thompson Trophy tomorrow afternoon when they take on the winner of the other semifinal game between Manhattanville College and William Smith College. Tomorrow afternoon's championship game is set for 3:00 p.m. at the Murray Athletic Center in Pine Valley, New York.