PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior
Morgan Cunningham (Wrentham, Mass.) scored twice and top-seeded Plymouth State University used a four-goal second period to fly past fourth-seeded Anna Maria College, 6-1, in the semifinal round of the inaugural Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Women's Ice Hockey Tournament at Hanaway Rink on Friday night.
With the victory, Plymouth State advances to next week's championship game. PSU will host third-seeded Rivier for the title next Friday (Mar. 7) at 6:00 p.m. at Hanaway Rink. The Raiders upset second-seeded Worcester State University, 1-0, in the day's other semifinal.
PSU used a fast-paced, high-intensity style of play to set an early tone and sophomore
Juliet Rutigliano (Martinsville, N.J.) potted her first goal of the year late in the frame.
Cunningham poked in a shot in the opening minutes of the second to double the lead, sparking the Panthers to a four-goal period. Sophomore
Lilli Warnock (Bernardsville, N.J.) buried a rebound goal midway through the frame and Cunningham stuffed home another goal four minutes later, before junior
Jacqueline Martin (Smithfield, R.I.) made it 5-0 late in the stanza.
Anna Maria spoiled the shutout with a power play goal early in the third period, but that was all PSU would surrender and senior
Libby Carter (Franklin, Mass.) capped the scoring with her fifth of the season.
Plymouth State jumps to 17-7-2 and will look to capture the MASCAC title against Rivier next week. The Raiders won two-of-three regular season meetings between the two teams. Anna Maria ends the season with a 10-15-2 mark.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 6, Anna Maria 1
- Plymouth State (17-7-2)
- Anna Maria (10-15-2)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State had an early chance just over three minutes in when Martin entered the zone during an AMCATS line change. Her initial shot was kicked aside, though, and the rebound slipped through the crease untouched.
- Anna Maria had a pair of great looks midway through the stanza following a defensive zone turnover, but sophomore Karlee Lehner (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) made two strong saves to keep the game scoreless.
- PSU put heavy pressure on the Anna Maria defense late in the period, but bids by junior Katie Porrello (Milford, Conn.) and senior Robyn Grant (Airdrie, Alberta) were saved.
- The Panthers broke through with 3:10 left in the period when Rutigliano stuffed home the rebound during a scrum in front of the goal for a 1-0 lead.
- Plymouth State wasted little time adding to the lead in the second as Warnock slid the puck toward the Anna Maria goal where Cunningham knocked it in to make it 2-0 just 1:51 into the frame.
- A turnover at the blue line left Anna Maria with a clean breakaway, but Lehner extended her left leg to shut down the chance and Plymouth State responded with a third goal just 17 seconds later. Senior Emily Biggin (Didsbury, Alberta) forced a turnover in the zone and fired a quick shot that was blockered down, but Warnock was there to convert the rebound for a 3-0 advantage with 11:08 left in the period.
- The Panthers struck again exactly four minutes later. Graduate student Lauren McNeil (Ottawa, Ontario) whipped a turnaround shot from inside the left circle and Cunningham poked in the rebound as the lead ballooned to 4-0.
- PSU continued to play the aggressor with graduate student Carsen Moffett (Kamloops, British Columbia) firing a pass to Porrello in the neutral zone. Porrello flew down the left side with numbers, then dropped the puck for Martin, whose blast from the left dot beat the AMC goalie to the stick side to make it 5-0 with 5:01 left in the second.
- With a big hill to climb, the AMCATS needed a quick start to the third and the visitors got exactly that with a power play goal less than one minute into the stanza. A shot from the point whistled wide of the goal, but the rebound came off the end boards and a quick strike to the far post cut the Panthers' lead to 5-1.
- Plymouth State restored the five-goal margin midway through the frame. Rutigliano's shot from the left circle deflected off a defenseman's skate to Carter, who dumped the puck into the open net to account for the final score.
By the Numbers:
- Cunningham's two goals were a career high.
- Rutigliano finished with a goal and an assist for her first two points in a Plymouth State uniform.
- Martin (one goal, one assist), Warnock (one goal, one assist), and Porrello (two assists) also had multipoint games.
- Lehner finished with 19 saves to improve to 12-3-1 for the year.
- The Panthers held a 39-20 advantage in shots.
- Plymouth State went 0-for-6 on the power play, while the AMCATS converted 1-of-4.
- PSU will be making its first-ever appearance in a conference championship game.
Up Next:
- Top-seeded Plymouth State hosts third-seeded Rivier for the conference championship next Friday (Mar. 7) at 6:00 p.m.
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